At the invitation of Chinese Minister of science & technology Xu Guanhua, Mr. Erkki Liikanen, European commissioner responsible for the Information Society and Enterprise, visited China April 15-20, 2002. The two sides exchanged views on China-European Union relations, information technology and industry policy and small & medium-sized enterprises and innovation. A joint statement was signed outlining future cooperation programs in information technology between China and EU. Its full text is as following:

At the invitation of Prof. Xu Guanhua, minister of the Ministry of Science & Technology (MOST) of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Erkki Liikanen, European commissioner responsible for the Information Society and Enterprise, visited China April 15-20, 2002.

Mr. Li Lanqing, vice premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, met with commissioner Liikanen. They exchanged views on China-European Union relations, information technology and industry policy and small & medium-sized enterprises and innovation. They highly appraised and congratulated the convocation of “2002 China-Euro Cooperation Forum on the Information Society” which is unprecedented in scale.

Minister Xu, Mr. Wu Jichuan, minister of Information Industry, and Commissioner Liikanen attended the opening ceremony on 2002 Euro-China Cooperation Forum on the Information Society held in Beijing from April 16-20, 2002. Minister Xu and Commissioner Liikanen had official meeting and exchanged views on the enhancement of bilateral operation in the field of information society, innovation and small and medium-sized enterprises.

--Both parties reviewed with satisfaction and highly appreciated the fruitful and successful cooperation between China and the European Commission in the field of information society, in particular the establishment of EU-China Working Group on Information Society Dialogue and Chinese participation in IST program of EU’s Fifth RTD Framework Program.

--They both highlighted 2002 Euro-China Cooperation Forum as a milestone in reinforcing this relationship. The event of such scale and level plays a key in promoting technological and industrial cooperation. The strong involvement of both industries and scientific community is a demonstration of great cooperation potential and a concrete example of the global partnership between EU and China.

--Both parties shared the view that information society will play a key role for the economic and social development in China and EU. They expressed their willingness to strengthen the partnership between the Chinese and European relevant authorities and enlarge the existing cooperation framework.

--Both parties expressed their satisfaction about the priority given to the Information Society in the EC China Country Strategy Paper 2002-2006, adopted by the European Commission on March 1, 2002; they also welcomed the availability of 15 million EURO of EC assistance in this context to support China’s informatisation process.

--Both parties agree as follow:

The program of cooperation should include the following:

■Cooperation in the field of information society including in particular:

-- Science & Technology cooperation: the reciprocal opening of China’s high-tech research and development program and EU’s research and technological development framework program; encouraging the top Chinese and European scientists to join the cooperation programs; and jointly supporting research and technological development including the technological standards projects of common interests in the field of information society technologies;

--Interconnection of China to GEANT ( European research network ) and TEIN ASEM;

--Mobile communication in particular 3 G;

--Promotion of new services using ICT for the Chinese citizen;

--Open source software;

--Creation of EU-China Working Group to stimulate and support cooperation brought by the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008;

■ Regulatory and policy framework

--Clarification on regulatory and policy issues including multilateral aspects;

--Technical assistant to regulators;

--Standardization;

■ Innovation and SME’s

--Studies and exchange of views on innovation development, indicators, benchmarking exercises, etc;

--Linking the innovative SME’s between China and Europe.

During his stay in Beijing, Commissioner Liikanen also met Mr. Wu Jichuan, minister of Ministry of Information Industry, and Mr. Jiang Qiangui, vice minister of the State Economic and Trade Commission.

Commissioner Erkki Liikanen expressed his gratitude to MOST for the warm hospitality he received and for the efficient arrangement of his program during his stay in China.

Done in Beijing on April 16, 2002 in both the English and Chinese languages; both languages having equal validity and authenticity.

(www.china.org.cn, April 19, 2002)