Unite power, open the future on the basis of the past, and work together to write a new chapter of cooperation
——Keynote speech at the China-CEEC Leaders Summit
(February 9, 2021, Beijing)
President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping
Dear colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen, friends:
Welcome to the China-CEEC Leaders Summit. Today, we are holding the summit against the special background of all countries fighting the Covid-19 epidemic, which demonstrates the determination of all countries to work together to overcome difficulties and seek common development.
China-CEEC cooperation has gone through 9 years. Nine years ago, in line with the original intention of win-win cooperation and common development, and with the determination to jointly create a better future, we followed the trend of the times and the general trend of development and jointly initiated the establishment of a China-CEEC cooperation mechanism and opened up China and Central and Eastern European countries. A new stage of relationship development.
Over the past nine years, China-CEEC cooperation has experienced the test of time and complex changes in the international situation, and has formed a cooperation principle that conforms to its own characteristics and is accepted by all parties.
Firstly, there is something we need to discuss. We insist on mutual respect, no political conditions attached to cooperation, equality of all countries, large and small countries, and discuss, build and share together. Based on the belief that "17+1 is greater than 18", we have established a three-dimensional cooperation structure that covers more than 20 fields under the leadership of the leaders' meeting mechanism, so that every country can participate in it. We take care of each other's concerns, formulate plans and determine projects based on the actual conditions of each country, and encourage countries to find a position and give full play to their advantages in cooperation based on their own endowments.
The second is to let the partners have gains. We focused on pragmatic cooperation and achieved the goal of helping each other's development and enhancing people's livelihood and well-being. We promote balanced development of cooperation, adhere to the combination of economy and humanities, trade and investment, and let the results benefit different countries and different groups of people. Compared with 9 years ago, the trade volume between China and Central and Eastern European countries has increased by nearly 85%, of which the increase in China's imports is 22% higher than the increase in exports, and the number of two-way tourist exchanges has increased by nearly four times. The China-Europe Express has covered most of the Central and Eastern European countries, with more than 30,000 trains running in total. A large number of cooperative projects such as the Port of Piraeus in Greece, Smederevo Steel Plant in Serbia, and the Peljesac Sea Bridge in Croatia have achieved gratifying results.
The third is to develop together in openness and tolerance. Both China and Central and Eastern European countries firmly believe that openness creates opportunities and tolerance achieves diversity. This is also the basis for maintaining vigorous vitality in China-CEEC cooperation. We learn from each other, study from each other, and insist on bridging differences and resolving differences through consultation and cooperation. We follow generally accepted international rules, comply with market principles, respect EU standards, and welcome other countries and international organizations to actively participate in order to achieve win-win and multi-win results.
The fourth is continuous growth through innovation. We are the first to explore ideas, try first, and take the lead in exploring cross-regional cooperation and co-construction of the "Belt and Road" initiative, and take the lead in realizing the full coverage of the "Belt and Road" cooperation agreement in the region. We focus on the needs and geographical advantages of Central and Eastern European countries, and promote the positive results of major projects such as the Hungary-Serbia Railway.
Colleagues!
We live in a challenging era. The epidemic of the century and the changes in a century are intertwined, bringing about far-reaching effects. Unprecedented challenges need unprecedented unity and cooperation from all countries to cope with them.
Last year, China-EU relations bucked the trend in the epidemic. The two sides completed the China-EU Investment Agreement negotiations as scheduled, signed the China-EU Geographical Indications Agreement, forged a China-EU green cooperation and digital partnership, firmly upheld multilateralism, and jointly responded to global challenges. China-CEEC cooperation is an important part of China-EU relations. The active development of China-EU relations has also brought new opportunities for China-CEEC cooperation.
Colleagues!
China-CEEC cooperation is an influential cross-regional cooperation platform. Under the new situation, how does China-CEEC cooperation develop? I would like to make four suggestions.
First, face the challenge of the epidemic and strengthen the confidence of cooperation to overcome the difficulties together. Fighting the new crown pneumonia epidemic is currently the most urgent task. China is willing to work in solidarity and cooperation with Central and Eastern European countries to cope with it. The two sides can strengthen the exchange of experience in joint prevention and control and epidemic prevention, explore cooperation in traditional medicine, improve the level of health and medical cooperation, and promote the construction of a human health community. China is willing to continue to provide vaccines to relevant countries within its capacity, and contribute to promoting vaccines as a global public product and promoting the equitable distribution and use of vaccines around the world. China is willing to carry out vaccine cooperation with Central and Eastern European countries. At present, Serbia has obtained 1 million doses of vaccines from Chinese companies, and Hungary is cooperating with Chinese vaccine companies. If there is a need for vaccine cooperation in other countries in Central and Eastern Europe, China is willing to actively consider it.
We must adhere to open cooperation, promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, promote the construction of an open world economy, and push the world economy out of the shadow of the crisis as soon as possible. At this stage, we must coordinate epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development, resume personnel exchanges in a stable and orderly manner, promote the resumption of work and production, maintain the stability of the industrial chain and supply chain, and provide guarantees for the joint fight against the epidemic and the recovery of the economy.
Second, focus on interconnection and unblock the cooperative arteries of interconnected development. We must continue to improve the integration pattern to lay a solid foundation for higher-level linkage development in the future. It is necessary to work together to build the “Belt and Road” with high quality, accelerate the construction of major projects such as the Hungary-Serbia Railway, continue to support the development of China-Europe Express, and fully tap the potential for cooperation.
We must deepen cooperation in customs trade security and customs clearance facilitation. China will promote the establishment of the China-CEEC Customs Information Center and the China-Europe-Europe Sea Express Line countries along the customs clearance coordination consultation point, and is willing to explore the cooperation with the customs of Central and Eastern European countries to carry out pilot projects of "Smart Customs, Smart Border, and Smart Sharing".
Third, adhere to a pragmatic orientation and expand mutually beneficial cooperation results. We are willing to work with Central and Eastern European countries to promote the early implementation of China-EU practical cooperation results in Central and Eastern Europe, make more efforts to promote mutually beneficial cooperation in trade and investment, and promote balanced and sustainable development of trade. China plans to import goods worth more than US$ 170 billion from Central and Eastern European countries in the next five years, and is willing to actively use platforms such as the China International Import Expo and China-CEEC Expo to expand imports from Central and Eastern European countries. Combine measures such as risk assessment of similar products with the plant health working group mechanism, inspection and quarantine contact and consultation point, optimize the access assessment procedures of agricultural and food products from Central and Eastern European countries to China, and accelerate the access process. We must strengthen local economic and trade cooperation and continue to promote the construction of China-CEEC economic and trade cooperation demonstration zones and industrial parks in Ningbo and Cangzhou.
We need to deepen agricultural cooperation and strive to double China's agricultural imports from Central and Eastern European countries in the next five years, and the agricultural trade volume between the two sides will increase by 50%. We propose to cooperate in the construction of agricultural products wholesale markets in Central and Eastern European countries, and implement a youth agricultural talent exchange program.
We must strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the fields of culture, education, tourism, sports, media, publishing, think tanks, youth, and local areas. China is willing to take the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics as an opportunity to deepen sports cooperation with Central and Eastern European countries. We will hold a new session of the Education Policy Dialogue and University Federation Meeting within this year to support Fudan University in opening a campus in Hungary. We must strengthen the joint development of characteristic tourism products and joint training of tourism talents. We must implement the consensus of the Fifth China-CEEC Local Leaders' Meeting and promote local cooperation to achieve more results.
Fourth, focus on green development and create a momentum for future-oriented cooperation. We must adhere to the "Green Consensus", unswervingly promote international cooperation in addressing climate change, and jointly implement the "Paris Agreement" in addressing climate change. The Conference of the Parties to the Convention was successfully held to contribute. We must promote "green development" and take the "China-CEEC Year of Cooperation for Green Development and Environmental Protection" in 2021 as an opportunity to deepen exchanges and cooperation in the fields of green economy and clean energy.
We must persist in technological innovation. China proposes the establishment of a China-CEEC Innovation Cooperation Research Center, a China-CEEC Youth Science and Technology Talent Forum, and the publication of the "2020 China-CEEC Science and Technology Innovation Scorecard". We must seize new business formats and expand cooperation in the digital economy, e-commerce, health industry and other fields. China will promote the establishment of a dialogue mechanism for China-CEEC e-commerce cooperation and a China-CEEC public health industry alliance.
Colleagues!
From the beginning of this year, China has begun to implement the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development and embark on a new journey of building a modern socialist country in an all-round way. Entering a new stage of development, China will speed up the construction of a new development pattern with domestic and international cycles as the mainstay and mutual promotion of domestic and international cycles. China's 1.4 billion population and 400 million or more middle-income groups constitute a large-scale market and the potential for domestic demand will be fully released, creating more demand and opportunities for the world. China will continue to expand opening up, focus on promoting the institutional opening up of rules, regulations, management, and standards, and continue to create a market-oriented, legalized, and international business environment. China will more actively participate in bilateral, multilateral and regional cooperation and achieve a higher level of mutual benefit and win-win results with other countries. China's continuous development and opening up will inject strong momentum into the recovery and growth of the world economy, and will also open up a broader space for cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries.
Dear colleagues!
There is a saying in Central and Eastern European countries that “good advice is more valuable than gold”. I hope that through today's meeting, everyone can gather ideas and suggestions to build a new consensus and draw a new blueprint for China-CEEC cooperation under the new situation, so as to jointly promote China-CEEC cooperation to be more stable, more practical and farther.
Home
Organization
News Information
Association News
Project Information
Branches
Enterprise
Contacting Us