Full text of the Dubrovnik Guidelines for Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (1)
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E-mail Xinhua, April 13, 2019
DUBROVNIK, Croatia, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The following is the full text of the Dubrovnik Guidelines for Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries issued Friday.
The Dubrovnik Guidelines for Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries
On 12 April 2019, the 8th Summit of China and Central and Eastern European Countries (hereinafter referred to as "CEECs") was held in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic of the Republic of Croatia, Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania Edi Rama, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Denis Zvizdic, Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria Boyko Borissov, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Andrej Babis, Prime Minister of the Republic of Estonia Juri Ratas, Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban, Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania Saulius Skvernelis, Prime Minister of Montenegro Dusko Markovic, Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev, Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki, Prime Minister of Romania Viorica Dancila, Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia Ana Brnabic, Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic Peter Pellegrini, Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia Marjan Sarec and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia Edgars Rinkevics attended the Summit. They expressed appreciation and gratitude to Croatia for the efforts it had made as the host country to ensure the success of the Summit. Austria, Belarus, the European Union, Greece, Switzerland and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development were present as observers.
The Participants reviewed the results of the cooperation between China and CEECs (hereinafter referred to also as "16+1 Cooperation") and hold that the Sofia Guidelines for Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries are being implemented in an effective manner. 16+1 Cooperation has proven to be a pragmatic and useful platform for promoting cooperation between China and CEECs.
The Participants hold that 16+1 Cooperation is an embodiment of the 17 countries jointly supporting the development of a sustainable and open world economy, and a rules-based multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core. The Participants reaffirm their commitment to uphold the UN Charter and international law, the three pillars of the UN and transparency, inclusiveness, fairness, justice and pragmatism. The Participants express their commitment to fight corruption and bribery in all their forms. The Participants are determined to promote economic globalization, help realize the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, and encourage full implementation of the Paris Agreement.
The Participants will provide a fair and just environment and a level playing field for foreign companies doing business in their own countries by upholding the principles of mutual respect, mutual benefit and fair competition.
The Participants underline that 16+1 Cooperation constitutes an important part of Europe-China relationship and complements the EU-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the EU-China 2020 Strategic Agenda for Cooperation. They reaffirm their commitment to deepening their partnership for peace, growth, reform and civilization. In this respect, the Participants support the early conclusion of an ambitious EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment. The Participants recognize the importance of the Belt and Road Initiative and the EU Strategy on Connecting Europe and Asia and welcome forging synergies between them. The Participants express their willingness to conduct cooperation using the opportunities provided by the Initiative and the Strategy, which for the EU Member States would also complement relevant EU initiatives.
The Participants, acting upon the spirit of the Suzhou Medium Term Agenda and past Summit Guidelines, formulate and issue the Dubrovnik Guidelines for Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries with "Building new bridges through openness, innovation and partnership" as its theme, giving direction for the future development of 16+1 Cooperation.
The Participants will conduct cooperation in accordance with national laws and regulations. EU Member States will conduct cooperation in accordance with EU law and policies. Institutions cooperating within the framework of 16+1 Cooperation will also conduct cooperation in the same spirit.
1. The Participants support China in hosting the 9th China-CEEC Summit in 2020.
2. Strengthening China-CEEC planning and coordination
(1) The Participants affirm the important role of the Suzhou Medium Term Agenda and will continue to implement it, according to their respective needs and priorities. In order to promote 16+1 Cooperation, the Participants recognize the need to formulate a new Agenda in due course.
(2) The China-CEEC National Coordinators' Meetings will be held respectively in China and in one of CEECs in 2020.
(3) The Participants recognize the need to conduct a review of cooperation mechanisms and meetings developed within the 16+1 framework, and the results achieved to ensure efficient use of administrative resources of Participants and a more focused, result oriented approach, including updating the existing and planned China-CEEC cooperation platforms with the perspective to be discussed during the next National Coordinators' meetings.
(4) The Participants welcome Greece joining as a full-fledged participant of China-CEEC Cooperation.
(5) The Participants are willing to conduct consultations at National Coordinators' meetings on procedures for future enlargement.
(6) The Participants welcome the potential involvement of observers and other third countries and institutions on the basis of prior consultations and consensus by all Participants.
(7) The Participants positively comment efforts of China and CEECs to establish coordination mechanisms in different fields under the framework of 16+1 Cooperation and encourage prior notification and consultations.
3. Connectivity
(1) In the spirit of the Belt and Road Initiative and the EU Strategy on Connecting Europe and Asia, in compliance with international and European standards, where or as applicable, the Participants will continue to step up their cooperation with third countries to promote digital economy, efficient transport connectivity and smart, sustainable, safe and secure mobility. The aforementioned refers in particular to the Investment Plan for Europe, the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T) and their extensions to the Western Balkans and relevant neighborhood initiatives. The Participants will continue to contribute to the work under the EU-China Connectivity Platform and explore the integrated transportation corridors between China and Europe in order to make intermodal transport more accessible to potential users.
(2) The Participants are willing to promote railway projects cooperation in line with respective laws and regulations and through consultations, in particular by strengthening exchanges and cooperation on railway planning, railway organization development, management, technology development, logistics and freight terminal construction, and related human resource management with the aim to enhance the use of modern, safe and environmentally friendly technologies.
(3) China and CEECs that are Member States of the EU will cooperate within the structures of the EU-China Agreement on Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters and of the EU-China Strategic Framework for Customs Cooperation. The cooperation in customs between China and CEECs will take place within the constraints of their respective competences. Participants will explore the possibilities of establishing a China-CEEC Customs Information Centre in Hungary.
(4) The Participants will jointly explore utilization and construction of logistics hubs. They will promote pragmatic cooperation on railway transportation and intermodal transport solutions including customs, to strengthen two-way supply of goods by container block train services and other railway cargo services between Europe and China, and endeavor to shorten the time of transportation. China is welcome to participate in joint development of new freight lines in connecting markets in Asia and Europe, under the understanding that it respects the principles of transparency and non-discrimination.
(5) The Participants emphasize the important role of China-CEEC Logistics Secretariat and the China-CEEC Coordinating Secretariat for Maritime Issues for facilitating trade flows between China and CEECs.
(6) The Participants welcome China and CEECs in cooperating on relevant infrastructure investment projects. In view of the increasingly important role of railway in social and economic development, global environmental protection and cooperation, railway transport will be one of the focuses of cooperation. The Participants welcome important progress made by China, Serbia and Hungary on the Belgrade-Budapest railway project and its possible extensions to the Adriatic Sea, the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea. Participants support moving forward practical cooperation in the development of the China-Europe Land Sea Express Line and making use of EU-China Connectivity Platform to promote development of intermodal freight transportation.
(7) The Participants take note of the Three Seas Initiative. Participants express their willingness to cooperate within the Adriatic-Baltic-Black Sea Seaport Cooperation based on the Riga Declaration. They welcome port cooperation between China and the Central and Eastern European countries, including the opportunities deriving from inland waterways and the intermodal connections to further enhance the cargo transportation between Asia and Europe. The Participants note the potential of maritime environment and scientific cooperation in the development of blue economy, to generate better prospects for investments.
(8) The Participants support conducting civil aviation cooperation including expanding air connections between China and CEECs.
(9) The Participants support the holding of the 5th China-CEEC Transport Ministers' Meeting in 2020 in Croatia. The Participants will continue to encourage relevant authorities of various countries to strengthen coordination and support enterprises in carrying out more mutually beneficial cooperation in logistics and transportation infrastructure.
4. Trade and investment
(1) The Participants recognize that China International Import Expo is a useful platform for promoting mutually beneficial economic and trade exchanges and cooperation between China and other countries, including CEECs. The Participants welcome holding of the 3rd China International Import Expo in 2020.
(2) The Participants note the need to effectively pursue policies facilitating access for CEEC products into China in order to build a more balanced economic partnership between CEECs and China. They appreciate the EU and China's efforts towards identifying market access barriers that need to be further addressed.
(3) The Participants support necessary reform of the WTO aimed at addressing global trade challenges in order to ensure its continued relevance and effectiveness by further developing WTO rules. The Participants take note of the EU-China Joint Statement of 9 April 2019 and support continued work within the framework of the EU-China Joint Working Group on WTO Reform and in the case of WTO members in compliance with WTO rules.
(4) The Participants welcome the increase of mutual investment between China and CEECs and encourage non-discriminatory and transparent investment environment for enterprises, and reiterate the need for conclusion of an ambitious Comprehensive Agreement on Investment and an agreement on Geographical Indications between the EU and China.
(5) The Participants recognize the importance of ensuring open, transparent and non-discriminatory procurement procedures. For the Participants, the procurement procedures and the awards of contracts will be in compliance with their respective regulations and international obligations. The Participants support China's accession to the WTO Government Procurement Agreement.
(6) The Participants support holding the 4th China-CEEC Ministerial Conference on Economic and Trade Promotion and China-CEEC Fair in Ningbo, China, in June 2020.
(7) The Participants support holding the China Investment Forum in the Czech Republic in 2020.
(8) The Participants reaffirm encouraging and strengthening exchanges and cooperation between SMEs in China and CEECs, and welcome the participation of the 16 CEECs in the 3rd China-CEEC SME Cooperation Forum in Cangzhou, China in 2020.
(9) The Participants welcome the China-CEEC Business Council in playing a more positive role in promoting trade and investment cooperation. The 6th meeting of the Council will be held in 2020.
(10) The Participants are aware of the importance of new trade formats, such as e-commerce, especially in the context of the development of the global economy, and support progress on WTO e-commerce negotiations. The Participants support the strengthening of trade relations between China and CEECs and will conduct further cooperation through e-commerce platform and encourage enterprises in China and CEECs to promote the import and export of high-quality local products through e-commerce. CEECs welcome Chinese e-commerce enterprises to consider the establishment of online regional, sub-regional or country pavilions to enhance the visibility of quality goods from CEECs.
(11) Chinese and CEECs' authorities will enhance communication in facilitation of entry of free samples.
5. Financial cooperation
(1) Participants support, on a voluntary basis, strengthening cooperation among government financial regulatory authorities to create a sound regulatory environment for cooperation among financial institutions in line with relevant legislation while respecting national circumstances.
(2) Participants welcome the efforts to diversify the currencies used by market participants in their respective countries in their economic decisions. China encourages the inclusion of RMB in the foreign exchange reserves of eligible CEECs.
(3) Interested Participants support further cooperation by China-CEEC Inter-bank Association in Budapest and welcome financial institutions from CEECs joining the Association. Participants explore the possibilities of participation of European financial institutions outside the 16 countries in the Association-related cooperation as partners.
(4) Participants encourage China and CEECs to increase communication aimed at addressing tax challenges raised by the digitalization of the economy.
6. Education, youth and sports cooperation
(1) The Participants support the Czech Republic in hosting the 8th China-CEEC Education Policy Dialogue and the 7th China-CEEC Higher Education Institutions Consortium in 2020.
(2) The Participants welcome China launching the China-CEEC Education Capacity Building Project and the China-CEEC Joint Education Project of Institutions of Higher Education.
(3) The Participants support Albania establishing the China-CEEC Youth Development Center and are encouraged to participate in related activities organized by the Center to enhance mutual understanding between youths of China and CEECs.
(4) The Participants stand ready to support strengthening of campus sports exchanges and cooperation including snow and ice activities within the framework of 16+1 Cooperation, jointly enhancing preparations for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and the 2022 Beijing Winter Paralympics. The Participants reaffirm strengthening sports exchanges and cooperation by encouraging national sports organizations and corresponding individual associations to directly contact and develop cooperation, exchange knowledge and experience, strengthen coordination in international sports affairs and jointly promote the development of sports in all countries.
(5) Participants support establishing the China-CEEC Coordination Mechanism for Sports in CEECs.
7. Scientific and Technological Innovation, Energy Cooperation
(1) The Participants hold that the potential of cooperation between China and CEECs in the field of scientific and technological innovation provides opportunities and possibilities for joint projects within 16+1 Cooperation and encourage innovation-driven mutual investments. The Participants would explore the possibility of establishing the China-CEEC Information and Communication Technology Coordination Mechanism in Croatia. The Participants support, on a voluntary basis, further technical cooperation and exchanges of experience on the establishment of high-tech industrial parks incubators, innovative start-ups and smart cities.
(2) The Participants welcome holding the 5th China-CEEC Conference on Innovation Cooperation in Slovakia in 2020, and will explore possible exchanges of scientific and technological innovation resources of the 17 countries to deepen mutual understanding and cooperation in the industrialization of scientific research results.
(3) The Participants support further expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation between China and CEECs in the area of energy. Participants welcome the establishment of the China-CEEC Energy Cooperation Dialogue among energy authorities of China and CEECs and appreciate technical exchanges as well as energy cooperation planning and research in the area of energy including exploration of cooperation in the field of green energy and biological energy by the Center for Dialogue and Cooperation on Energy Projects in Bucharest. CEECs welcome the signing of the Joint Statement on the Implementation of the EU-China Cooperation on Energy.
(4) The Participants will explore the possibility of launching the China-CEEC Smart City Coordination Center in Romania.
(5) The Participants will jointly explore the possibilities of establishing a China-CEEC Blockchain Center of Excellence under the leadership of Slovakia with interested partners.
8. Health cooperation
(1) The Participants welcome the cooperation results in the field of health within the framework of 16+1 Cooperation and reiterate their willingness to further strengthen their cooperation in public health and medical service industries through contacts between government departments, academic and talent exchanges and inter-agency cooperation within the scope of relevant rules and regulations.
(2) Interested Participants welcome more clinics, universities and research institutions in CEECs to cooperate with China on traditional Chinese medicine in various forms.
9. Agriculture, forestry, water conservation and environmental protection cooperation
(1) The Participants announce that 2020 will be the Year of China-CEEC Agricultural Diversity Cooperation. The Participants support expansion and deepening of cooperation in sustainable agriculture through academic discussions, project docking, talent training and exhibitions as well as forums.
(2) China and CEECs endorse EU-China dialogue and stand ready to promote trade in agri-food products while respecting international and scientific standards on sanitary and phytosanitary matters in particular as far as the regionalization principle is concerned. China and CEECs recognize the need of respecting the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) zoning principle to imports coming from both sides.
(3) The Participants are committed to expanding market access for food products, including by addressing market access procedures in agricultural and food trade, and accelerating product approvals.
(4) The Participants encourage China and CEECs to cooperate through the Association for the Promotion of Agricultural Cooperation between China and the CEE Countries (APACCCEEC), to support mutual agricultural trade promotion activities and to encourage enterprises to participate in international agricultural trade fairs in China and CEECs in order to strengthen exchange of information on agricultural products market access.
(5) The Participants will consider development of beneficial policies to encourage agricultural investment cooperation within their respective regulations and legal frameworks to actively promote investment docking of agribusiness and to encourage two-way investment cooperation in key areas such as agricultural production, agricultural product processing and logistics.
(6) The Participants encourage the development of new trade formats such as e-commerce, support the establishment of the China-CEEC agricultural products e-commerce logistics centers and exhibition halls in CEECs and China as well as China-CEEC agricultural products e-commerce trade warehouses and China-CEEC agricultural demonstration zones as proposed by APACCCEEC, all of them playing a role and participating in the development of related activities.
(7) The Participants will continue to deepen their cooperation between government authorities on forestry research, trade and investment to encourage and welcome more Chinese and CEECs universities and research institutions to cooperate in the field of agriculture. The Participants support the 3rd China-CEEC High-level Conference on Forestry Cooperation in CEECs in 2020, promoting joint scientific research cooperation projects between relevant scientific institutions from China and CEECs. They support the 5th China-CEEC Meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture, the 15th Agro-trade and Economic Cooperation Forum and relevant sessions of the Meeting of the Consultative Board of the Association for the Promotion of Agricultural Cooperation between China and CEE Countries (APACCCEEC) in 2020. Enterprises from CEECs are welcome to participate in forestry exhibitions, conduct exchanges and hold seminars. Industry associations are encouraged to participate actively.
(8) Interested Participants encourage cooperation in emerging areas such as non-timber forest products (forest fruits, herbal medicines, fungi, etc.), especially those that are in line with relevant product quality standards and have potential for further trade in China and CEECs.
(9) Participants support the deepening of dialogue on water policy, and technical exchanges, experience sharing as well as the strengthening of exchanges of experience on water protection and the cooperation within the framework of the China-EU water resources platform and the China-EU water policy dialogue mechanism, exchanges of experience on water quality monitoring, waste water management, desalination and related cooperation projects including agricultural projects.
(10) The Participants encourage exchanges on environmentally sound management and waste disposal, and welcome their environment research organizations and business to explore pragmatic cooperation projects on a voluntary basis.
(11) The Participants encourage the strengthening of cooperation between China and CEECs in the field of environmental protection, and support making more prominent the role of the existing China-CEEC Environmental Protection Cooperation Mechanism established in Montenegro. The Participants support the holding of the 2nd China-CEEC Ministers' Conference on environmental cooperation.
10.People-to-people exchanges and local cooperation
(1) The Participants emphasize the need of building social cohesion with emphasis on gender equality, women empowerment and support of those in vulnerable situations.
(2) Participants appreciate the opening of the China-CEEC Global Partnership Center in Bulgaria and are willing to participate in its operation in order to provide policy advice and legal advice as well as intellectual support to 16+1 Cooperation.
(3) In 2020, the Secretariat of 16+1 Cooperation will continue to invite high-ranking officials and journalists from CEECs to visit China.
(4) Interested Participants support the continuation of the China-CEEC Spokespersons Dialogue to strengthen exchanges and cooperation.
(5) The Participants support continued expansion of cultural and tourism cooperation within the framework of 16+1 Cooperation, and will enhance inter-connectivity and facilitation of mobility, strengthen cooperation among tourism market entities, as well as foster professional cooperation in public institutions in cultural and tourism industries. The Participants support the holding of the 6th China-CEEC High-level Conference on Tourism Cooperation in CEECs, the 3rd China-CEEC Art Cooperation Forum in Serbia, the 3rd China-CEEC Expert Forum on Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection in CEECs and the 2nd China-CEEC Library Union Forum in CEECs in 2020. The Participants attach importance to the cooperation in the field of creative industries. Slovenia will host the 5th China-CEEC Cultural and Creative Industries Forum in 2020.
(6) The Participants support the strengthening of cooperation in various fields of tourism within the framework of 16+1 Cooperation to enhance collaboration and promote tourism. The Participants welcome the establishment of the Tourism Award Marco Polo within the framework of 16+1 Cooperation at the 4th China-CEEC High-level Conference on Tourism Cooperation in Croatia. The Participants support diversified and all-round development of tourism in China and CEECs. The Participants support and welcome China and CEECs signing more bilateral Memorandums of Understanding on tourism cooperation as well as investments in related facilities.
(7) The Participants stand ready to foster further development of cultural and artistic projects and to encourage direct exchanges of experts and artists, in order to strengthen the friendly relations and cooperation in the field of culture and art.
(8) The Participants will jointly explore the possibilities for the establishment of China-CEEC Creative Hub in Montenegro to serve as an art residency platform, with the goal to support the exchange of artistic creative potential, creative goods and objects.
(9) Interested Participants take note of the role of the China-CEEC Association of Publishing Houses and will further promote exchanges and cooperation among the publishing institutions and enhance the level of cooperation.
(10) The Participants welcome CEECs in signing agreements on joint film production with China.
(11) The Participants encourage exchanges and cooperation in joint productions, program broadcasting, personnel training and TV festivals in the field of radio and television so as to promote the development of the broadcasting and television industry.
(12) The Participants support the strengthening of exchanges and cooperation in the field of intellectual property rights, giving full play to their important role in promoting economic, scientific, technological and cultural development and providing good environment for enterprises and innovators in China and CEECs. Taking into account the EU-China cooperation in the field of protection of intellectual property rights, Participants are willing to exchange views on various intellectual property issues of common concern.
(13) The Participants reaffirm opportunities for promoting women entrepreneurship and will explore the possibility of building a China-CEEC network of women entrepreneurship in Romania.
(14) The Participants positively comment the important role played by local cooperation in promoting the in-depth development of 16+1 Cooperation and support the China-CEEC Association of Provincial Governors in conducting communication and coordination. The Participants support Bosnia and Herzegovina in holding the 5th China-CEEC Capital Mayors Forum in Sarajevo in 2020. (More)
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