On September 6, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, who
was accompanying Premier Zhu Rongji to attend the fourth
China-EU Summit, met with EU Commissioner for External
Relations Patten in Brussels.
Tang said that
the fourth China-EU summit was a successful one and the
Chinese side is satisfied with its results and appreciated
the efforts made by the EU side for the summit. The
wide-ranging consensus reached and a number of important
decisions made at the summit by leaders of both sides will
lay a solid political foundation for the further
consolidation and strengthening of their friendly
cooperation in various fields. The Chinese foreign ministry
and other relevant institutions are willing to cooperate
closely with the EU side in the follow-up actions of the
summit. At the present, both sides should focus on the
following tasks:
––improving the
mechanism of regular summit of China and EU
leaders, promoting high-level visits and the
exchanges of personnel, in a bid to enhance mutual
understanding;
––expanding and
improving the mechanisms of dialogue and
consultations at all levels, to further deepen
relations and increase mutual
trust;
––deepening cooperation in
the fields of trade, culture, education and
etc;
––and resolving disputes
properly through dialogue on an equal footing and the basis
of mutual respect and seeking common ground while putting
aside differences.
Patten said the EU-China
Summit fully demonstrated the spirit of friendly
cooperation. Both sides are dedicated to developing
extensive and in-depth cooperative relations and have made
concrete steps of cooperation. The EU side is willing to
work on the tasks in all the fields mentioned in the Joint
Press Statement of the Fourth China-EU Summit issued this
time. The EU attaches great importance to the quality of its
cooperative projects with China and will work for
accelerated implementation of them.
Tang also
briefed Patten on President Jiang Zemin's visit to the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Patten
appreciated the positive role played by China in maintaining
peace and stability and promoting prosperity and development
on the Korean Peninsula. Patten also said that the EU will
continue to improve relations with DPRK and actively promote
the reconciliation of the two sides on the peninsula.