Editor's Pick:

Passengers in a common boat

By Dai Bingguo (China Daily) Updated: 2011-05-16 08:03

Countries must interact harmoniously and cooperate to deal with the problems and challenges of the 21st century

Dear members of the press, I wish to thank Lady Ashton for inviting me and my colleagues to Budapest for the second round of the China-EU High-Level Strategic Dialogue. Around 20 years ago, I worked in Budapest and spent a most memorable time in Hungary, a fascinating and beautiful country, one endowed with human talent and rich resources. I am very excited to be back.

Last year, Lady Ashton and I had our first Strategic Dialogue in my hometown Guiyang in Guizhou province. Besides a full day of productive discussions, Lady Ashton also visited a village near Guiyang, which is far less developed than Europe of course. Through our first dialogue, we deepened mutual understanding and trust and promoted cooperation between China and Europe.

I flew here this morning from Washington DC after the close of the third round of the China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue. Without taking time to rest, I talked with Lady Ashton for more than five hours. Our discussions were very productive, wide-ranging and candid. In this very complex and fast-changing world, China and Europe must carry out in-depth communication and discussions. I will continue my dialogue with Lady Ashton next year in China.

In our dialogue this afternoon, we talked about the trend for peace, development and cooperation in the world. This trend is sweeping and irresistible. Those who conform to this trend will prosper and those who go against it will decline. We both believe that there is an unprecedented degree of interdependence in today's world. No country can meet the challenges alone. To deal with the new problems and challenges of the 21st century, we all have to see ourselves as passengers in a common boat, interact with one another harmoniously and work together.

China sees the European Union as a very important force - indeed an important pole - in today's world. It attaches great importance to its relationship with the EU, a relationship that faces an important opportunity for further development. We should work together to find new ideas and take our relationship to a higher level. I agree with Lady Ashton that China and Europe should set a good example for international cooperation in the 21st century. China's 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) and the Europe 2020 Strategy provide a good framework for deepening our all-round cooperation. Both sides are determined to make good use of it to promote our shared development and prosperity. Lady Ashton and I agree that China and Europe need to respect each other as equals and increase mutual trust so as to create better conditions for the development of our relations.

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