Yesterday, CBI China participated in the 7th EU-China Business Summit in Beijing which ran under the theme "Cooperation on a New Level: Innovation, Industry, and Investment".

Held at the Great Hall of the People, the summit featured workshops on opportunities in urbanisation, the role of SMEs and institutional support, and industrial upgrading and services as well as speeches by leading business and political figures from China and the EU.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao attended the summit on behalf of China while EU President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso represented the EU.

Highlights of the summit included:

     • China and the EU emphasised positive developments in their bilateral trade and investment 
       relationship as a cornerstone of their strategic partnership.
     • China and the EU agreed to hold the first meeting of the China-EU High-Tech Trade Working Group 
       as soon as possible.
     • China and the EU agreed to continue to actively develop the China-EU IPR Cooperation Project III.
     • China and the EU announced the establishment of the China-EU Partnership on Urbanisation, 
       which will aim to promote exchanges and cooperation on sustainable urban development.
     • China and the EU agreed to further deepen cooperation on energy.
     • China and the EU agreed to continue bilateral dialogues on environmental policy and cooperation 
       on environmental issues. For example, both sides agreed to launch a new cooperation project 
       focused on reducing water pollution, examining waste policy, and reducing heavy metal pollution.
     • China and the EU agreed to set up a China-EU Cyber Taskforce.
     • China and the EU welcomed the launch of the China-EU Year of Intercultural Dialogue in 2012.

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