The European Union (EU) and China staged a seminar in Brussels Monday on regional policy as part of the EU's series of forum events titled Open Days.

 

A Chinese delegation, headed by Vice Minister from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) Du Ying, attended the four-day seminar, the second of its kind. The first EU-China regional seminar was held in May 2006 in China.

 

Addressing the gathering, Danuta Hubner, EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, said the partnership between China and the EU "is strong and growing."

 

"Now we are ready to launch a comprehensive research activity on regional policy within the framework of our dialogue," the commissioner added.

 

"Already today many European regions directly cooperate with their Chinese counterparts. This is the best basis for our partnership which enhances the pool of experience and knowledge available to our regions and cities," Hubner said.

 

The commissioner also listed some key common challenges "which may underpin this cooperation."

 

"Both China and EU are confronted with large social, economic and territorial disparities," the official said.

 

"Sustainable development, energy efficiency and climate change figure most prominently," Hubner said, adding that the urban-rural divide and the lack of development perspectives for large rural areas was also a challenge facing the two parties.

 

Du briefed participants of the seminar on China's regional development and policies of the Chinese government.

 

He said that as the most populated developing country in the world, China's basic conditions are disparities in regional development.

 

In "the 11th national economic and social development for a five-year plan" the Chinese government made a comprehensive strategy on coordinated regional development, he noted.

 

The government shifted its focus from the concerns over regional disparities to promotion of coordinated regional development, from concerns over economic differences to social fairness and equalization of basic public services, and from concerns over fast economic growth to the coordinated development of economy, resources and environment.

 

As a result, he said that "regional coordinated development in China has shown good momentum in recent years."

 

Prominent problems blocking regional development "have been partly solved," Du said, adding vitality of regional economic development was boosted, inter-regional cooperation deepened, some achievements in equalizing basic public services made, and environment protection and ecological construction promoted.

 

After the EU-China seminar Monday, the Open Days seminars will link the EU with Brazil and Russia Tuesday.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 9, 2007)