The 4th China-Europe High-Level Political Parties Forum kicks off in Suzhou, eastern China's Jiangsu Province, on April 22, 2013, with the aim to enhance mutual trust and cooperation between China and Europe.[Photo by Guo Xiaohong, China.org.cn]

The 4th China-Europe High-Level Political Parties Forum kicks off in Suzhou, eastern China's Jiangsu Province, on April 22, 2013, with the aim to enhance mutual trust and cooperation between China and Europe.

"The China-Europe High-Level Political Parties Forum has contributed much to [the development of] Sino-European ties," said Liu Yunshan, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, in his keynote speech at the opening ceremony.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the China-Europe comprehensive strategic partnership. China and the EU should now continue to beef up their cooperative and win-win strategic partnership, said Liu.

China supports and welcomes a prosperous Europe and China's development can bring tremendous opportunities to Europe, said Liu. The CPC is willing to deepen its relationship with European parties, push win-win cooperation and bring benefits to both peoples.

Vice Chairperson of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Minister Wang Jiarui of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, together with several other European parties' representatives, hosted the opening ceremony.

Both Chinese and European representatives at the opening ceremony held one-minute silence in honor of China’s Sichuan earthquake victims. Lushan county, Sichuan Province, was hit by a strong earthquake on April 20; 188 people were confirmed dead.

The forum, held today and tomorrow, will provide a platform for the exchange of ideas on a broad range of issues, including experience-sharing in social governance, with a focus on promoting win-win cooperation and new breakthroughs in China-EU relations. Three sub-sessions are scheduled for tomorrow featuring the sub-themes of How to build a cooperative and win-win China-Europe community of common interest and goals; China's path of peaceful development and China-Europe cooperation in international affairs; and China's "new four modernizations" drive (industrialization, informatization, urbanization and agricultural modernization) and China-EU concrete cooperation.

A dialogue between the youth leaders from both China and Europe is also featured on the agenda, where young attendees will hold a discussion on how to upgrade China-EU youth exchange in an era of cultural diversity.

The forum gathers about 200 representatives from across China and Europe, including political party officials from 27 European countries, regional European political parties and high-ranking officials from European think tanks. The Chinese participants include leaders of ministries and departments, experts and scholars, young politicians and representatives of enterprises.

The annual China-Europe High-level Political Parties Forum creates a multi-lateral political dialogue between the CPC and political parties in the European Parliament and Europe's regional political parties. The previous three sessions were held in Beijing, Tianjin and Brussels, respectively.