A four-point proposal on boosting trade and economic cooperation between China and the European Union (EU) was submitted Tuesday by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

In his speech entitled "Enhance Cooperation to Make Win-win Progress" at the 2006 China-Europe business summit Wen said China and the EU were highly complementary economically and had great potential to cooperate.  

"We've now reached a new stage in boosting our business ties," he said. "We should expand the scope of cooperation, explore new cooperation models, raise the level of cooperation and elevate our business relations to a new height." 

To achieve these objectives the premier put forward his four-point proposal:

-- Expanding technological cooperation in various fields

-- Strengthening cooperation in energy and environment protection

-- Deepening cooperation in the agriculture and service sectors

-- Promoting cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises (SME).

On technological cooperation Wen said, "We encourage both independent innovation and the introduction of technology through enhanced international cooperation. Europe, which is strong in information technology, bio-medicine, machinery, automobile, electronics, chemistry and the energy sector will find ample opportunities for further development in China."

"China and the EU should explore new areas, projects and models for cooperation and carry out scientific and technological cooperation in diversified forms and at various levels," he said.

On energy and environment protection, Wen explained China was endeavoring to build an energy-conserving and environmentally-friendly society and had a growing demand for new energy and products which do not damage the environment.  

Europe led the world in waste treatment, energy-conservation projects, environmental management and renewable energy such as wind, solar and bio-energy, said Wen. It was well positioned to establish itself in Chinese markets.

"We hope to work with the EU to strengthen cooperation in energy conservation and environmental protection," he said.

As for deepening cooperation in agriculture and service sectors, Wen said Europe had advanced agricultural technologies and had much to offer in greenhouse technology and agriculture management.  

China and the EU could deepen cooperation in rural development, poverty alleviation, agricultural ecology, product quality and animal health, he added. "As the EU has an advanced service sector the two sides have great potential for cooperation in this field," commented Wen.  

As for promoting cooperation between SMEs, the premier said the EU was renowned as a "kingdom" of such businesses and Chinese and European SMEs were complementary in technology, business model and management.

"The Chinese Government has adopted a series of policies to support SMEs and industrial parks for European SMEs have been opened in some Chinese cities," he said.

"We encourage SMEs from both sides to make full use of the existing platform and expand cooperation in technology transfer, market sharing, processing trades and human resources," Wen added.

"In the new century our people can surely, through hard work and drawing on their wisdom, create a more splendid future," he said. "Let us join hands and work together to raise China-EU economic cooperation and trade to a new height," Wen concluded.

Some 500 senior business leaders attended the 2006 China-Europe business summit on Tuesday to discuss strategies to boost China-EU economic and technological cooperation.

(Xinhua News Agency September 13, 2006)