Jointly established between four non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) hailing from China and the EU, a plan aiming to promote
economic exchanges and cooperation was recently launched.
According to the action plan, two to three Chinese and European
cities will become partners in terms of trade and economic
exchanges this year, said Deng Yubo, secretary-general of the
Association for International Entrepreneurs in Germany, one of the
four NGOs to launch the action plan.
The four NGOs will help competitive Chinese firms create
subsidiaries, ramp up sales and exhibit their wares in European
countries. They will also organize opportunities for European
business people to purchase commodities, hold trade fairs and
participate in exhibitions in China, Deng said.
Trade volume between China and the EU rose 25.3 percent
year-on-year to reach US$272.3 billion last year, according to the
Ministry of Commerce.
The consolidation of the trade partnerships between China and
the EU has become apparent as the EU accounted for 15.5 percent of
China's total foreign trade volume last year, remaining China's top
trade partner, according to the ministry.
Mutually beneficial trade relations have been of great help in
providing business opportunities for firms on both sides, insiders
have said.
Some European countries are now drafting preferential policies
to attract Chinese investors, Deng said.
The other three NGOs in the action plan are the Association for
the Promotion of EU-China Relations, the China Economic and
Cultural Development Association and the Europe China Trade
Center.
(Xinhua News Agency February 6, 2007)