Economic relations and co-operation between Europe and the People's Republic of China

Resolution 897 (1988)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 3 May 1988 (2nd Sitting) (see Doc. 5872, report of the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development, Rapporteur : Mrs Herfkens). Text adopted by the Assembly on 3 May 1988 (2nd Sitting).

Thesaurus

The Assembly,

1. Having regard to the report on economic relations and co-operation between Europe and the People's Republic of China (Doc. 5872) ;

2. Noting that China has begun in recent years to adopt a much more open orientation towards the world economy, which is partly reflected in rapid growth in foreign trade

3. Considering that, in spite of differing economic and social systems, numerous common interests and objectives have emerged between the Council of Europe member states and China ;

4. Considering also that China is a growing economic power in the world of more than one thousand million inhabitants, and that Europe has an interest in developing constructive co-operation with China ;

5. Noting that since 1979 China has intensified its relations with the Council of Europe, and that in 1985 a trade and economic co-operation agreement was concluded between China and the European Communities, and also that in 1986 China requested resumption of its status as a Contracting Party to GATT ;

6. Noting also that, at its seventh session (9 July3 August 1987), UNCTAD called on developed market-economy countries, among other things, to contribute to the strengthening of the production potential of developing countries, to improve access for imports from those countries and to underake, where appropriate, the consequential structural adjustments in agriculture and industry ;

7. Recalling its Resolution 889 (1988) on North-South interdependence and solidarity,

8. Calls on the governments of the Council of Europe member states and on the European Communities :

8.1 to redirect and co-ordinate their commercial and industrial policies with a view to making the Council of Europe member states and the European Communities major economic partners of China ;

8.2 to ensure easier access of Chinese products to European markets through more favourable treatment and an extension of the product range enjoying such treatment in favour of China in the framework of the generalised system of preferences (GSP) applied to China by the European Communities and most EFTA countries ;

8.3 to support China's request to resume its status as a Contracting Party to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), without requiring it to make reciprocal concessions ;

8.4 to facilitate trade with China through the extension of export credits, in accordance with OECD's guiding principles, with a view to increasing China's production capacity ;

8.5 to promote direct investment or joint ventures in sectors such as transportation, telecommunications, infrastructure, energy, agriculture and food processing, and to facilitate the transfer of technology by concluding fiscal and investment treaties with China, covering guarantees for fair treatment of foreign investors ;

8.6 to promote trilateral co-operation programmes for developing countries under which China would provide technical assistance for projects especially adapted to the needs of the poorest countries, notably for agricultural and rural development, reforestation projects and the installation of decentralised forms of renewable energy (such as biogas and solar power), and European countries and/or multilateral organisations the necessary funds ;

8.7 to increase co-operation with China in the fields of education, training, fellowships, including overseas training for Chinese nationals, cultural exchanges and technical assistance ;

9. Invites the Government of China :

9.1 to pursue its policy of reform and modernisation of its economy and its ‘‘open door policy'' with regard to other parts of the world ;

9.2 to intensify its efforts to eliminate undue obstacles to foreign trade - such as dumping - and investment, and to adopt flexible measures with regard to foreign exchange transactions ;

10. Invites the governments of the Council of Europemember states and China to engage in a mutually beneficial dialogue - in the relevant international forums and bilaterally - with a view to devising new development strategies based on China's experience in promoting self-reliance while at the same time opening up its economy to the multilateral trading system.