-- Sino-European Economic Conference Opens - Rocard Receives China-Europe Friendship Award
HAMBURG, Germany, Sept. 11 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
"This absence of western knowledge about China’s historical achievements is one of several reasons for the western lack of respect for China," said Helmut Schmidt, former Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany on the first day of the International Economic Conference, "The Hamburg Summit: China meets Europe" in the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce. It is only against the backdrop of the preceding history that our European newspaper readers, television watchers and internet-bloggers will be able to measure and evaluate the enormous progress which China has achieved during the last thirty years. Schmidt appealed to both sides, not to look down on each other, but rather to learn from each other: "At times the Chinese were ahead of the Europeans, at other times the Europeans have been ahead. The intelligence quotient obviously has the same quality on both ends of our globe."
The willingness to create a dialogue between China and Europe, especially during politically turbulent times, is of vital importance to the economic and political relationship and was emphasized by Frank Horch, President of the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce. He also acknowledged that the Hamburg Summit would provide an excellent platform for this: "Market access problems on both sides will be discussed, China’s further integration into the global trading system has to be secured." At the same time the increasing environmental, infrastructure and social problems, which affect China as well as Europe, will be up for discussion.
The French Minister of State to the Minister of Economy, Anne Marie Idrac, corroborated that France, during its Presidency of the European Union, is determined to raise the European stake in China to the highest level. "The Chinese market is one of the most competitive in the world, but I am sure there is a clear added value for European businesses to unify their stance and jointly push European interests and values," continued Idrac.
Within the context of the opening ceremonies, the former French Prime Minister Michel Rocard received the China-Europe Friendship Award for his commitment to the Sino-European relationship. On the first day of the economic conference the key-note speakers, besides Rocard and Schmidt, included Jiang Yiren, Chairman of the CFIE Presidium, Lucas D. Papademos, Vice President of the European Central Bank, and Sheihka Lubna al Qasimi, Minister of Foreign Trade of the United Arab Emirates.
More than 380 guests will participate in the third "Hamburg Summit: China meets Europe" until September 12. The main focus of the forum occupied by high-ranking internationally recognized businessmen, politicians and academics, is on environment and climate protection. Further information, as well as current press photos for complimentary downloading, can be found at http://www.hamburg-summit.com.