On January 22, 2009, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a briefing for Chinese and foreign journalists. Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Hongbo introduced the upcoming official visits of Premier Wen Jiabao to Switzerland, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom (UK) and the headquarters of the European Union (EU) and attendance of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2009. Deputy Director-General of the Information Department Qin Gang hosted the briefing.

I. Background and objectives of the visits

The international financial crisis is still sprawling and has transmitted from the developed countries to the developing ones, from the financial sector to the real economy, posing obstacles to the development of global and regional economy, said Wu. Meanwhile, China is also increasingly influenced by the crisis. The overall Chinese export slows down. Those regions which have a large number of export-oriented and small and medium-sized enterprises depend on external markets heavily and hence are impacted seriously. The financial crisis raises both common challenges to the international community and new opportunities and interest convergence points for cooperation among nations. China always appeals to the international community to strengthen cooperation, coordinate efforts and cope with the crisis jointly and is committed to maintaining stable and relatively fast growth of its domestic economy through expanding demand in order to contribute to the world economy.

After more than 30 years of development, China-EU relations have forged a pattern of all-round, multi-level and broad cooperation featured by mutual benefit. The two sides have become important trade partner to each other. Under the current situation, China and EU maintain close exchanges and enjoy increasing strategic consensus, rising cooperation demand and expanding common interest. Owing to reasons known to all, China-EU relations experienced some twists and turns last year. But China believes firmly the direction of development of China-EU relations and the desire of both sides to enhance cooperation to cope with challenges will remain unchanged. China’s policy of giving priority to the all-round China-EU strategic partnership will never change.

With the theme of “Shaping the Post-Crisis World”, the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2009 will mainly discuss how to tackle the threats of further sprawling crisis and global economic recession against the background of global financial crisis. The meeting has drawn wide attention. It is said that so far more than 2,400 delegates have confirmed their attendance, including leaders of more than 40 countries, over 200 senior government officials and a large number of heads of international organizations.

The visits of Premier Wen have three objectives: first, to urge the international community to boost confidence, build consensus, reinforce cooperation and jointly cope with the financial crisis; second, to strengthen China’s strategic consensus with the above-mentioned four European countries and expand bilateral pragmatic cooperation; third, to advance the development of China-EU relations.

II. Major activities and expected outcomes

According to Wu, the visits of Premier Wen have a tight schedule but rich activities. Each stop will have unique characteristics.

During the visit to Switzerland, the first visit paid by Premier Wen to the country, Wen will hold talks with President Merz of the Swiss Confederation to exchange opinions on the bilateral relations and issues of common concern.

It is the third visit to be paid Premier Wen to Germany. He will hold talks with Chancellor Merkel, meet with President Koehler and Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister Steinmeier and address the China-Germany economic and technological cooperation forum. The cooperation of real economy between the two countries will be a highlight of Premier Wen’s visit to Germany.

It is 17 years ago that a Chinese premier paid official visit to Spain. During this visit, Premier Wen will meet with King Carlos, hold talks with Prime Minister Zapatero and attend seminar with delegates of the local cultural community and young students. The visit will promote the sound political relations and step up cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Premier Wen will visit the UK as a return to Prime Minister Brown’s visit to China early last year and to implement the meeting mechanism of the two leaders. He will hold talks with Brown, extensively contact people from the local political, business and financial sectors and deliver a speech at Cambridge University. The major task of Premier Wen’s visit to the UK is to enhance the bilateral financial cooperation.

During the visit to the EU headquarters, Premier Wen will hold talks with President Barroso of the European Commission and exchange opinions on the guiding principles of and how to deepen the development of China-EU relations.

China is actively consulting and communicating with related countries on strengthening financial and economic cooperation, issuing joint document and raising package of policies. It will sign a series of key cooperation documents in the fields of economy and trade, investment, energy, science and technology, culture and education with the four countries and the EU, said Wu.

On the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, Premier Wen will deliver an important speech, meet with Chairman Schwab and representatives of the International Business Council and the International Media Council, elaborate China’s measures of coping with the international financial crisis and discuss how to jointly tackle the crisis.

Wu stressed that the visits of Premier Wen, as a “journey of confidence”, will demonstrate first China’s confidence of adhering to reform and opening up and promoting economic growth, second confidence in the progress of China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership and deepening of cooperation and third confidence of strengthening unity and collaboration of the international community to overcome difficulties.

Later, Wu answered questions of journalists.

On China-EU relations, Wu said that China attaches importance to developing relations with the EU. Against the complex international situation, the further development of all-round strategic partnership between China and the EU serves the fundamental interest of both sides and is beneficial to world peace, stability and prosperity. China and the EU enjoy sound trade and economic relations. EU is the largest trade partner of China. China hopes both sides can strengthen mutual understanding in the economic and trade sectors, seek new cooperation areas and achieve greater growth. China does not deliberately pursue trade surplus. We are willing to make active efforts to promote the balanced development of bilateral trade, and the achievement of this goal will become easier if the EU countries increase high-tech exports to China.

Talking about China-France relations, Wu noted that this year marks the 45th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between China and France. Chairman Mao Zedong and General de Gaulle made the forward-looking decision of establishing diplomatic ties 45 years ago, which opened a new chapter of China-France relations and influenced the world pattern greatly. Reviewing the history of bilateral ties, we believe there is one point that is very important, i.e. the two sides should regard and handle the bilateral relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective, respect the core concerns of each other and not interfere in each other’s internal affairs. The Tibet issue is related with China’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity and falls into China’s core interest. China hopes the French side can create favorable conditions for the improvement of China-France relations with tangible actions. The development of China-France relations is consistent with the fundamental interest of the two countries and their people and beneficial to the entire world. China is willing to make joint efforts with France to improve the bilateral relations.

Concerning the international financial crisis, Wu pointed out that it has become an issue of common concern to cope with the expanding financial crisis and the threats of economic recession. Premier Wen will deliver a key speech and exchange in-depth views with people of those countries, expounding the position and proposition of the Chinese government on strengthening international cooperation to tackle the crisis and introducing China’s measures of maintaining the stable and relatively fast growth of its domestic economy and stimulating the world economy. Wu said that the developing countries and emerging markets are seriously influenced by the international financial crisis. Their right and interest should be respected and they should have a louder voice in the international financial system.