China Signs Maritime Cooperation Agreement with EU

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, December 06, 2002

China Signs Maritime Cooperation Agreement with EU

China and the European Union (EU) signed a maritime cooperation agreement Friday in Brussels, which will further explore possibilities of bilateral cooperation in maritime safety and trade.

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China and the European Union (EU) signed a maritime cooperation agreement Friday in Brussels, which will further explore possibilities of bilateral cooperation in maritime safety and trade.

Chinese Minister of Transport Zhang Chunxian, European Commissioner for Transport and Energy Loyola de Palacio and transport ministers of all the 15 EU member states signed the pact in the main building of the European Council.

The agreement mainly includes cooperation in training of crew, maritime safety and combating global terrorism and is the first agreement of its kind the EU has signed with any third party.

The Chinese minister hailed the agreement as a result of China's "open-door policy" and indication of further European integration, hoping it would open a new chapter in bilateral cooperation in sea transport.

Bendt Bendtsen, transport minister of Denmark which is holding the EU's six-month rotating presidency, said the signing of the agreement reflects the "constructive and forward-looking" nature of bilateral maritime cooperation. Both sides expressed support for each other in this field in the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO), he added.

Loyola de Palacio said that both the EU and China, being big trading partners for each other, would be offered a new possibility of strengthening trade with the signing of the agreement because it is important for both parties. She expressed hope that China play a more active role in the WTO.

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