China-EU Summit: Green Growth in a Safer World

A recent report by China’s Ministry of Commerce has noted that foreign investment into China for the period of January to October 2013 experienced an increase of 5.77 percent compared with the same period in 2012. The announcement was made ahead of the China-European Union summit set to start November 21 in Beijing. As the first EU summit with China under the country’s new leadership, the agenda will include discussing how best to meet new policy challenges in a fast-changing world, particularly focusing on sustainable development and renewable resources.

President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, and President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy will meet with Chinese Prime Minister, Li Keqiang, as well as other dignitaries and authorities for the summit. Other items on the agenda for discussion include market access, trade and investment, innovation, urbanization, climate change, alternative energy, environment and human rights.

It is anticipated that negotiations on an EU-China bilateral investment agreement will be launched to enhance investment flows, improve access and reduce barriers to investment in China. Should the negotiations be successful, it is likely that future growth in foreign investment in China will exceed the 5.77 percent increase experienced in the past ten months. Agreements on Intellectual Property Rights, Agriculture and Energy will also be negotiated during the summit.

In a press release President Barroso was quoted as saying that 2013 is the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the European Union’s strategic partnership with China, and in these ten years the world has changed, with the European Union and China being driving forces behind the change. He went on to say that he was looking forward to meeting with the new leaders of China and taking the opportunity to take stock of common achievements while planning the route this relationship will take for the next decade. Barroso also emphasized that ‘green growth in a safer world’ will be a dominant theme of the summit and will be the motto for future cooperation between China and the European Union.