China, Europe look to maintain growth momentum in bilateral engagements

Building ties and bridging divides will be the main focus for President Xi Jinping during his 11-day tour to Western Europe that includes a visit to the European Union headquarters in Brussels.

The trip will take Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan to four European countries and will include a visit to the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. However, the packed agenda, which includes several public appearances, will be dominated by political and economic discussions, experts say.

"Xi has reiterated that he will take the lead in helping Europeans and Chinese understand each other better through public diplomacy, and this is something that he has included in his packed agenda," says a source close to the scheduling arrangements.

After arriving on March 22, Xi will pay a state visit to the Netherlands and attend the Nuclear Security Summit on March 24 and 25 in The Hague. US President Barack Obama is also expected to attend the meeting. Xi is expected to visit the EU headquarters in Brussels on March 31.

Xi and Obama are also expected to hold informal discussions during the summit in The Hague. They will discuss several geopolitical issues and the current situation in Ukraine. During his three-day stay in Belgium, Xi will visit the Chinese pandas at a zoo about 60 kilometers from Brussels.

From The Hague, Xi will travel to France where he will mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and then to Germany to further develop relations with the European economic powerhouse.

Fresh perspective

According to observers, Xi is expected to give new impetus and fresh perspectives to continuing investment negotiations between China and the EU.

Both sides are expected to start discussions on a formal agreement during the second round of talks scheduled for next month. Similar talks between China and US began only after eight or nine rounds of preparatory discussions, sources say.

Highly placed sources say that the two sides are also likely to start feasibility studies for a free trade agreement soon, though Brussels is yet to grant Beijing market economy status.

Elmar Brok, chairman of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs, says the very fact that Xi is visiting Brussels with a large delegation demonstrates the high regard China has for its ties with the EU.

"China and the EU have become increasingly close trading partners. Trade with the EU has played an important role in China's economic growth, and the meetings in Brussels are a good occasion to discuss ways to deepen the relationship."

Xi's visit is important politically as it follows on the heels of recent developments in Ukraine. Brok hopes that the visit will mark China's increased involvement in global affairs and its transition as a "stabilizing player" on the international scene.

Brok, a center-right politician from Germany who is respected at all points of the political spectrum, hopes that China's market-oriented reforms will make it even more efficient.

"One thing is clear. China's economic success was built on past market reforms, and this path must continue."

Brok also has high expectations about the current leadership in China. "I am pleased that Xi is meeting with the EU leaders in Brussels," he says. "It demonstrates his interest and commitment, and that of the entire Chinese leadership, to deepen ties between the EU and China.

"Even with economic growth slowing down, China remains an economic powerhouse. The question is rather how China uses its economic clout to become a political source of stability in a world increasingly marked by friction."

EU-China relations, he believes, have become "deeper and deeper" over the years, "reflecting mutual respect and closer trade links".

"It is in our joint interest to create the right conditions to enhance relations. This includes creating stable legal conditions for European investment in China, just as China enjoys stable legal conditions in Europe."

However, one cause for concern is Sino-Japanese relations, and on these, he says, "China has inherent interest in geopolitical stability, worldwide and in Asia in particular, not least since China's economic boom depends on open borders and global trade. This interest carries an obligation to assume responsibility for regional stability in Asia, and presumes a policy based on respect, mutual trust and actions aimed at dissipating tensions."

Nearly everybody would agree that no single country can tackle today's challenges alone, he says, adding that the economies and security of Europe and China are interconnected.

To handle global challenges, he believes the EU, the US and China must all play a prominent role and contribute to a "stronger, fairer and more effective" multilateral system.

He also supports those who call for a "new type" of relationship between the US and China. "I think it is clear by the sheer size and nature of their economies and the importance of their political actions that the United States and China do have an important relationship."

But, as he is keen to emphasize, words are cheap. "We must see the reality beyond the rhetoric."