Immediately after the Spring Festival, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is on an official visit to China, and it is said that Herman Van Rompuy, the President of the European Council will come with Jose Manuel Barroso, the European Commission President, to attend the 14th EU-China Summit, which was originally scheduled for last year.
European leaders’ successive visits to China have aroused widespread media sensation and speculation. Some analysts believe that as the first western leaders visiting China in the traditional Chinese Year of the Dragon, they would do more than just making a ceremonial call on New Year. There must be a long list of requirements put forward to China in their briefcases.
Europe is more eager for support from China than ever. In the past year, Europe is tortured by the sovereign debt crisis. Recently, although the situation of debt in Europe has turned to stabilize amid turbulences, the essential issues are far from being solved.
In the first half of this year, the pressure from the settlement of debts and financing in Italy, Spain and other European countries will mount to the climax. Moreover, France and Austria lost 3A-rating from S&P not long ago.
So, Europe needs to cultivate new economic growth points so as to realize economic recovery and full employment.
Europe has a long way to go.
It is no wonder for the struggling Europe to focus its attention on China.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, several European leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, attended a discussion on how to make better use of China's billions of wealth.
European media say that if China promises to keep on buying euro bonds, a vital lifeline for the euro zone will be provided.
Europe also looks forward to more Chinese enterprises investing there, so as to create more job opportunities for Europe and revitalize its economy.
In fact, China is providing Europe with constant help within its capacity in these difficult days.
The greatest help for Europe is the political support from China.
While some countries and international institutions bad-mouthed Europe, China, instead of following them, continued to send to Europe a message of confidence in euro and European integration.
For Europe, confidence is of greater importance than gold.
China doesn’t just provide verbal support to Europe.
In 2011，the value of China-EU trade surpassed 500 billion dollars and the European Union (EU)retained its status as China’s biggest trading partner and largest source of imports.
According to EU statistics, the growth of its exports to China was almost 7 percentage points higher than that of its overall export during the first three quarters of last year.
It is reported that the investment of China in Europe is increasing conspicuously in such forms as acquisition.
That China supports Europe is an integral part of the development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and EU, and it also embodies the traditional Chinese way of friendly co-existence.
The Chinese cherish the belief that “aA friend in need is a friend indeed”, so it goes without saying that China gives a hand to Europe who needs help.
When China was suffering such natural disasters as the Wenchuan Earthquake in 2008, many European countries offered badly needed assistance to China.
It is to the benefit of China to keep a good momentum of development and help the EU out of crisis as soon as possible.
As European leaders come to China this time, they should not merely ask something from China, but think about what China needs, what kind of support Europe can provide for China and what they can contribute to the longtime stability and development of the China-EU relationship.
Compared with their requests for financial assistance, China attaches more importance to mutual respect and equal treatment in the political field.
So far, EU's arms embargo on China, which is strongly characteristic of the Cold War, is still in place.
Although China has been the world's second largest economy and has achieved remarkable success in building socialist market economy, EU has been unwilling to grant market economy status for China.
On one hand, the EU is eager for China to increase investment in Europe. On the other hand, it has looked on as the media politicizing Chinese investments. The “Chinese Economic Threat” theory still sells there.
Chinese enterprises still face various difficulties and obstacles in investing in Europe. The sustainable development of China-EU relationship requires support from the people of both sides.
European leaders should take every opportunity to make Chinese public know EU’s attitude toward China.
What image would the EU like to build among Chinese citizens?
Is the EU preoccupied with getting something from China without treating the latter equally? Or will the EU commit itself to mutually benefits and common progress with China?
We sincerely hope that European leaders would be considerate and prudent, and come up with a wise and far-sighted answer to better enhance China-EU relationship.
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