The second round of the EU’s strategic dialogue with China took place in Beijing on 6 June, with State Secretary Hans Winkler in the chair. "The EU’s strategic partnership with China is of great importance to cooperation on important political and economic matters. China’s dynamic development over the last few decades has without doubt also had an impact on the international system. This dialogue is important because it allows us to consider matters from a global perspective, looking beyond day-to-day political events. Our aim is to involve China, a responsible partner, on equal terms in our efforts to enhance peace and security in the world and to improve the living conditions of the people", Winkler said.
The discussions focussed mainly on relations between the EU and China, relations with North Korea and Taiwan, energy security and the EU-China human rights dialogue that had taken place in Vienna at the end of May. The strategic dialogue also served to prepare the EU-China summit, which will take place in September during the Finnish Presidency.
Winkler welcomed China’s endorsement of effective multilateralism and a strengthening of the United Nations, and of the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. In this context he also emphasised China’s role in the six-party talks on North Korea. “Here China has assumed leadership of the international efforts as an important mediator. We hope there will soon be a constructive continuation of the talks and a successful conclusion.”
Macroeconomic issues and energy matters were also a subject of discussion. “It is important to reduce the imbalances, in which context China must take on an appropriate, leading role commensurate with its weight in the world economy", Winkler stressed. During Austria’s Presidency, there has been significant progress in implementing the EU-China partnership on climate change agreed at the EU-China summit in September 2005.
An equally important topic of the discussions was the human rights situation in China and cooperation in the field of human rights in international forums. Winkler said it was a sign of the high quality of relations between the EU and China that human rights issues could be raised in an open, constructive atmosphere. Thus the EU-China human rights dialogue had taken place in Vienna at the end of May, the results of which were now being discussed at the political level in Beijing.
Tomorrow, Wednesday, 7 June State Secretary Winkler will have a meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.
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