Austria-China economic, trade cooperation fruitful: visiting chancellor

Visiting Austrian Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel Thursday said that Austria-China economic and trade cooperation had scored remarkable achievements in the past 40 years and China had become Austria's important trade partner.

Addressing the opening ceremony of an exhibition on Austrian economic achievements in China, Schuessel said the event was aimed at sharing Austrian experience in fields like environmental protection, education, transportation, economy and technology transfer with China, which hopefully could help China's economic growth.

Schuessel said political cooperation could provide a sound basis for economic development, while rapid economic development could create opportunities for world peace and stability.

Austrian enterprises could explore the Asian market with assistance from their Chinese counterparts, while Chinese businessmen could also make best use of Austria's geological advantages to promote their businesses in Europe, he said.

A Chinese hi-tech park will be set up in Vienna soon in order to strengthen bilateral cooperation, said Schuessel.

Yu Guangzhou, China's vice minister of commerce, said China and Austria were "highly complementary" in economy, calling for more Austrian entrepreneurs to invest in China and to take an active part in China's efforts to revitalize the old industrial base in its northeast regions and develop its vast western hinterland.

According to sources with the Chinese Customs, the trade volume between the two countries reached 2.29 billion US dollars in 2004, an increase of 28.8 percent over the previous year.

Statistics from the Austrian side showed its export volume to China last year topped one billion euros for the first time, a rise of more than 25 percent, thus making China the second biggest market for Austria's export.

The Thursday exhibition, jointly hosted by China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, was the biggest of its kind ever held by Austria in China.

More than 200 people from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, CCPIT, the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, Austrian embassy in China and the local business circle were present on the occasion.

Austria Federal Chancellor leaves Beijing for Shanghai

Visiting Austrian Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel left this Chinese capital Thursday evening for China's economic hub of Shanghai, the second destination of his week-long China tour.

This is the first official visit by Schuessel, who arrived in Beijing Tuesday evening as guest of his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao.

During his stay in Beijing, Schuessel met or held talks with China's top legislator Wu Bangguo, Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice President Zeng Qinghong, respectively, exchanging views on China-EU and China-Austria relations, world economy and globalization.

He and Wen also witnessed the signing ceremony of five agreements covering education, animal quarantine and investment.

In addition, Schuessel attended a series of economic and trade exhibitions and ceremonies, conferred a golden medal to a Chinese trade officer and delivered a speech in China's prestigious Beijing University.

Besides Beijing and Shanghai, Schuessel will also travel to east China's Jiangsu Province and attend the 2005 Boao Forum for Asia in south China's Hainan Province. He is scheduled to conclude his visit next Monday.