The European Union (EU) and China staged a seminar in Brussels
Monday on regional policy as part of the EU's series of forum
events titled Open Days.
A Chinese delegation, headed by Vice Minister from the National
Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) Du Ying, attended the
four-day seminar, the second of its kind. The first EU-China
regional seminar was held in May 2006 in China.
Addressing the gathering, Danuta Hubner, EU Commissioner for
Regional Policy, said the partnership between China and the EU "is
strong and growing."
"Now we are ready to launch a comprehensive research activity on
regional policy within the framework of our dialogue," the
commissioner added.
"Already today many European regions directly cooperate with
their Chinese counterparts. This is the best basis for our
partnership which enhances the pool of experience and knowledge
available to our regions and cities," Hubner said.
The commissioner also listed some key common challenges "which
may underpin this cooperation."
"Both China and EU are confronted with large social, economic
and territorial disparities," the official said.
"Sustainable development, energy efficiency and climate change
figure most prominently," Hubner said, adding that the urban-rural
divide and the lack of development perspectives for large rural
areas was also a challenge facing the two parties.
Du briefed participants of the seminar on China's regional
development and policies of the Chinese government.
He said that as the most populated developing country in the
world, China's basic conditions are disparities in regional
development.
In "the 11th national economic and social development for a
five-year plan" the Chinese government made a comprehensive
strategy on coordinated regional development, he noted.
The government shifted its focus from the concerns over regional
disparities to promotion of coordinated regional development, from
concerns over economic differences to social fairness and
equalization of basic public services, and from concerns over fast
economic growth to the coordinated development of economy,
resources and environment.
As a result, he said that "regional coordinated development in
China has shown good momentum in recent years."
Prominent problems blocking regional development "have been
partly solved," Du said, adding vitality of regional economic
development was boosted, inter-regional cooperation deepened, some
achievements in equalizing basic public services made, and
environment protection and ecological construction promoted.
After the EU-China seminar Monday, the Open Days seminars will
link the EU with Brazil and Russia Tuesday.
(Xinhua News Agency October 9, 2007)
