The European Union Ambassador to China, Mr. Serge Abou, met with
China.org.cn for an exclusive interview (watch video) in Beijing on Tuesday to discuss
issues of trade, cooperation, and cultural exchange.
On China's rapid growth, Mr. Abou said, "We have to adapt, to
adjust our economy and our society to the Chinese rise."? He
explained that the country's power in a multitude of areas,
including industry, finance, and resources, makes it a top
competitor in the global market.
He acknowledged that there has been and will continue to be a
certain strain on European businesses, but dismissed the idea of a
"China threat," saying, "We are ready in Europe, we are used to
work in a competitive world. Competition is our oxygen."
"Life is a challenge, is an opportunity, and China has added
some spice to our life," he quipped.
Mr. Abou? praised recent negotiations on the new
Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and China as a
vehicle to bolster bilateral relations.? "This year will be a
very important year, a cornerstone in our cooperation," he said,
adding that he particularly hopes to work together in the areas of
energy and environment.
When asked about the possibility of granting China market
economy status, he cited an EU report issued two years ago that
stated the country "had a long way to go to obtain this
qualification." Mr. Abou went on to say that a new report, due to
be released soon, praises China's excellent progress, particularly
the most recent laws adopted by the National People's Congress
(NPC) on property, accountancy and bankruptcy.
"There are plenty of laws, plenty of gestures which have been
made by the legislative bodies of China. The only problem that we
meet is the level of implementation of these laws. So, I would say
we reserve our diagnostic for the time being, while we will see how
all these laws are implemented," he explained.
He went on to say that while the opening-up of China provides
more opportunities for foreign investment, in order to better
develop these relationships the country must work to instill a
respect for Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs). "For small and medium-sized companies,
bringing their technology to a foreign country is a risk," he said.
"Because if your technology is stolen you have lost
everything."
"In order to encourage these companies to come to China, we must
offer to them a very good level of protection of their Intellectual
Property Rights," he added.
Mr. Abou also spoke briefly on the request for the EU to lift
its longstanding arms embargo for military trade with China.
"Public opinion in Europe is passifistic," he explained, so it is
difficult to obtain public support for what is a widely unpopular
form of business.? He believed plans for military trade with
any country would be met with the same opposition.
"When China asked for the embargo to be lifted, I think it's not
because they want to buy more arms from Europe or because we want
to sell more arms to China," he said. "I think it's to put an end
to a situation which is not very comfortable for China, as being a
little bit pointed at."
Mr. Abou also touched on the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games as an "important moment
of brotherhood, of friendship." He said he feels one important
aspect of the games is the enjoyment of the Chinese people.?
"They build their future with a lot of courage," he said, and he
believes they deserve a chance to really take in the moment.
On the other hand, he also thinks the games will be an important
opportunity for Chinese people to share their customs with foreign
guests.? In Europe, "there is a great attraction to learning
about Chinese culture," he said, noting the large number of
European youth studying Chinese as evidence of this fact.? He
also listed the rapidly expanding network of Confucius Institutes
as an important tool in educating people about China.
The best way for anyone to experience China, according to Mr.
Abou, is to visit the country and see its growth firsthand.?
"China itself is really a miracle," he beamed. "How you manage to
have such development is simply impressive."
(China.org.cn by Natalie Litofsky, May 30, 2007)
