Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing (R) shakes hands with visiting EU Commissioner for External Relations and Neighborhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner during their meeting in Beijing, Jan. 17, 2007.   Chinanews, Beijing, Jan. 17 - China and the European Union (EU) announced on Wednesday the official launch of the talks on the Partnership Cooperation Agreement (PCA) at a joint press conference held by Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and visiting EU counterpart Benita Ferrero-Waldner in Beijing.

 

Replacing the 1985 Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement, PCA now becomes the legal basis directing China-EU relations.

 

The new agreement will cover 22 sectors, involving agriculture, education, technology, communication, anti-terrorism, energy, and environment.

 

Li said China and the EU should improve all-round strategic partnership. "We should continue to increase political dialogue to enhance mutual trust, actively expand and deepen bilateral cooperation in trade, science and technology, agriculture and education, and properly handle any differences that arise between the two sides," said Li.

 

Li also expressed his appreciation for the EU's adherence to the one-China policy, as well as hoped that the EU side could make concerted efforts with China to combat Taiwan independence and jointly safeguard the peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, in the Asian and Pacific region and the whole world.

 

Waldner, the EU Commissioner for External Relations and Neighborhood Policy, said China and the EU are important newly-emerging forces in the world enjoying fast growth, and now is the best time to develop the bilateral relations.

 

The EU is willing to work with China to handle various global challenges and solve problems such as energy security, fair trade and climate change, Waldner added.