From Helsinki to Dushanbe, in 80 bilateral and multilateral events across four countries, Premier Wen Jiabao emphasized the importance of partnership building. At the ninth China-EU Summit, the sixth Asia-Europe Meeting and the Shanghai Co-operation Organization's fifth prime ministers meeting, Premier Wen was passionate about China's diplomatic philosophy of mutual respect towards all nations.

His topics in meetings with foreign counterparts were broad and in many cases pragmatic. Sensitive issues, such as trade imbalance, arms embargo, intellectual property rights protection, energy security, democracy and human rights, and, of course, terrorism were discussed.

State leaders need to deal with very practical concerns that impact on their respective nations and affect interaction. In the real world, that is what partnership is all about.

Premier Wen and every leader present at those cross-regional meetings availed themselves to the opportunities to create a fine political atmosphere conducive to state-to-state relations.

Despite friendly ties over many years, China and the European Union have had some undesirable misunderstandings and conflicts. These need to be ironed out.

The Shanghai Co-operation Organization, after years of operation, has heard increasing member appeals for closer economic collaboration. Such expectations await an institutional reply. That in part explains why Premier Wen had such a tight schedule in the four-leg trip.
 
Deals were signed and communiques were published, and we agree with Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing's claim that Wen's trip was a very fruitful one.

But Wen's trip would be greatly undervalued if we just focused on the deals signed. It was not only about business.

Premier Wen is a very enthusiastic and qualified salesman of commodities made in China. Beyond that, he was a passionate spokesman of the nation's new diplomatic philosophy.

From the "new partnership" between China and Europe, to his emphasis on multilateralism and the proposal to make the Shanghai Co-operation Organization generate economic benefits to member states, Premier Wen conveyed the Chinese idea of sharing and our ideal of harmony in state-to-state relations.

Relations between nations can sometimes be fragile as a result of trade deficits or conflicting territorial claims. In some cases, it may even be a matter of misperception of each other.

While misperception might lead nations to armed conflicts, a spirit of mutual respect and sharing may bring China's golden ideal of world peace to the fore.

Premier Wen's promise and hope of more sensible partnerships were inspiring and we hope his elaboration of the Chinese dream of a harmonious world was equally inspiring for the European audience.

(China Daily September 18, 2006)