After examining the Commission’s communication on the Community’s
future relations with China,
the Council endorsed the broad lines of its future policy towards China. The
policy should focus on the following strategic guidelines: - developing
relations: Europe should develop a relationship with China that reflects
its global and regional importance and potential influence. In this respect,
the Union’s priorities should be to maintain stability in the common and
security policy, promote an open economy, support sustainable development,
promote China’s gradual integration into the world economy, combat poverty,
and promote democracy, the rule of law and human rights; - external policy
and security: the Union should help China to implement constructive measures
for the management and proliferation of weapons (including nuclear weapons)
and to resolve its territorial disputes. As regards the specific issue of
Hong Kong and Macau, the EU must play a part
in ensuring the smooth transition of these regions into the Chinese system.
The Union should also strive to support the establishment in China of
institutions and a civil society based on the rule of law; - human rights:
the Union once again calls for human rights to be respected fully in China
(including Tibet) and welcomes the efforts already made in this direction as
part of the bilateral political dialogue and ad hoc dialogue on human rights;
- economic reforms: the Union supports China’s participation in multilateral
economic agreements and organisations, in particular the World Trade
Organisation (WTO). This would be facilitated by the establishment of market
economy mechanisms in China
and by the convertibility of its currency. Efforts must be made to improve
access to the Chinese market and eliminate customs duties and non-tariff
barriers. The Union also supports the
development of agreements on trade in services, maritime transport and
telecommunications. Further measures are expected on company law, respect for
disciplines in the field of subsidies and respect for intellectual property;
- enhancing cooperation: the Union hopes to focus its cooperation on several
key areas that will enable China
to promote its integration into the global trading and investment system. The
Community will concentrate on four areas in particular: . the development of
human resources, . support for training and technical assistance to modernise
the Chinese economy, . cooperation among businesses to ensure a greater
presence of European companies in China, . support for the
authorities responsible for environmental standards. The Union also aims to
enhance cooperation in the fields of urban and rural development, women’s
rights, the development of research and science, the development of civil
society and the rule of law, the fight against illegal drugs trafficking, the
fight against organised crime, and illegal immigration; - enhancing
coordination: here the Union’s goal is to enhance coordination among the
Member States, the Commission, the EIB and the private sector in Europe and
in China. The priority is to improve the information on China available to potential European
investors, to encourage European studies in China and to develop cultural
relations. This requires close coordination. A group of experts could be
appointed within the appropriate body to improve coordination. Finally, the
Council notes that the programme proposed by the Commission in its
communication to support businesses is a positive step and should complement
the Member States’ activities. The Council also calls on the Commission to
draw up a strategy document for China, setting out the proposed
cooperation measures. The Council stressed in particular that the available
resources should be used to concentrate on a limited number of priority
activities in accordance with the guidelines described above.