Joint Communiqué between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Greece on the Establishment of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership , January 19, 2006

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At the invitation of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis paid an official visit to China. During the visit, Prime Minister Karamanlis met with President Hu Jintao, Chairman Wu Bangguo and Chairman Jia Qinglin and held talks with Premier Wen Jiabao. The two sides exchanged views in a candid and in-depth manner on bilateral relations as well as international and regional issues of common concern.

They reviewed the traditional friendly relations between China and Greece. Both believed since the establishment of diplomatic relations since 1972, bilateral relations have developed smoothly. There is a bright prospect for enhanced and deepened bilateral relations with solid political relations and productive cooperation in various fields.

Both sides decided to establish China-Greece comprehensive strategic partnership.

I. Political Dialogue

1) Both sides pledge to deepen bilateral political dialogue, enhance the exchanges of visits at all levels and other forms of exchanges and further implement the agreement on political consultations signed between the two countries in 2000 so as to further promote bilateral cooperation in various fields. They also promise to push forward the signature of various agreements on issues of both parties' interest so as to fully demonstrate the implications of the comprehensive strategic partnership.

2) Both sides note China and Greece need to enhance cooperation under the current international situation so as to promote mutual understanding between different civilizations and contribute to world peace and development.

3) Both sides believe the international community should respond to threats and challenges of today's world within the framework of the United Nations and seek political solutions to international disputes through negotiations and consultations. Both sides agree there should be reasonable and necessary reforms for the United Nations to increase its capacity in addressing threats and challenges. Reforms should be done through democratic consultations and on a gradual basis with the hope to reach broad consensus. Both sides believe that bilateral cooperation within the framework of the United Nations will help the two countries better address the challenges of the times so as to safeguard world peace, security and stability, establish a fairer international order and respond to global issues including terrorism.

4) Both sides reiterate that all countries should stick to the principles of respecting national sovereignty and territorial integrity in line with the UN Charter and widely recognized practices of the international law as well as related UN resolutions and that the UN resolutions should be respected and executed.

5) Both sides should make efforts in pushing forward the implementation of the UN Millennium Development Goals in a bid to eliminate poverty, hunger, disease, all forms of discrimination, illiteracy, avoid environmental destruction, protect natural resources and realize sustainable development.

6) Both sides will enhance coordination within the framework if the United Nations to increase the efficiency of peace operations, promote substantive development in arms control and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Greece supports China's constructive role in the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

7) Both sides hope the Cyprus question can be resolved in a fair, lasting and reasonable manner on the basis of related UN resolutions. They support the efforts of the UN Secretary General in resolving the Cyprus issue and insist that any measure adopted by the Security Council and the international community should be conducive to the solution of the Cyprus issue.

8) Both sides indicate they would like to promote the protection of human rights in line with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international treaties and continue the constructive dialogue between China and Greece.

9) Given the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and the European Union as well as relevant conclusions of the EU summit, Greece reiterates it is in favor of lifting the arms embargo against China. Greece will continue its efforts in pushing the EU to lift the embargo.

10) The Greek government reiterates its adherence to the one-China policy and opposition to "Taiwan independence" and hopes to see an early solution of the Taiwan question in a peaceful manner.

11) Greece recognizes full market economy status is key to China and notes China has made remarkable progress in improving market economic system as it is already a member of the World Trade Organization. Greece supports China's dialogues with the EU and will make active efforts for the recognition of China as a full market economy by the EU at the earliest date possible.

II. Economic and Trade Cooperation

12) In a bid to boost economic, trade and investment cooperation, enhancing the mutual understanding of the business community of the two countries, both sides stress the necessity of holding the meeting of China-Greece Mixed Committee on Economy and Trade regularly and both express satisfaction with the results of the Ninth Meeting of the Mixed Committee on Economy and Trade in Beijing on November 29, 2005. Both sides agree to create China-Greece Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum and decide to convene a meeting of the forum on an annual basis.

13) Both sides will support the businesses of the two countries to implement projects of common interest, encourage the development of small- and medium-sized enterprises and technological cooperation, and promote cooperation in agriculture (especially in olive oil and oranges), environment, renewable resources, agricultural product processing, government services, infrastructure, telecommunication, automobile, transportation and finance.

14) Both sides are willing to enhance cooperation in quality supervision, inspection and quarantine and will try to sign some agreements as early as possible on the basis of the full cooperation between related administrators of the two countries.

15) Given the unique importance of shipbuilding and shipping in bilateral economic and trade relations, both sides are determined to provide facilitation for the cooperation between administrators of port affairs as well as other administrators in transportation, security and port building in the two countries. Both sides encourage cooperation between the ports and shipping enterprises and jointly help realize direct waterway and transit transportation via each other's ports to neighboring countries and regions.

III. Tourism

16) Both sides indicate the willingness to provide each other with necessary facilitations so as to boost the development of the tourism industry of the two countries and the willingness to open direct flight between Beijing and Athens.

IV. Cooperation in the Olympic Games

17) Both sides agree to enhance the following existing cooperation:

a) On July 11, 2005, the two sides signed the Letter of Intent between China's General Administration of Sports, Ministry of Culture, the Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games and Greece's Ministry of Culture on the Establishment of a Joint Committee on Cooperation in the Olympic Games and held the first meeting of the joint committee in Beijing. Both sides will support the joint committee to guide and coordinate the various forms of cooperation between China and Greece in the Olympic Games.

b) On November 3, 2005, the two sides signed the Memorandum of Understanding between the Security Coordination Group of the Organizing Committee of 29th Olympic Games in Beijing, the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Public Order of the Republic of Greece on cooperation in the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Security Coordination Group of the Beijing Organizing Committee and the Ministry of Public Order of Greece has started their cooperation.

V. Cooperation in Education

18) Both sides agree to provide more scholarships and opportunities of exchange for the students and teachers of the two countries and encourage the joint research programs between the universities of the two countries. Greece welcomes China to incorporate courses on Olympic Games into its curriculum.

VI. Culture

19) Both China and Greece boast rich cultural heritage and both express the willingness to boost cultural exchanges so as to enhance the mutual understanding and friendship of the two peoples. The administrators of the two countries can conduct consultations on the prospect of establishing cultural centers in each other.

20) Both sides agree that Greece will cooperate with China to make 2008 the Year of Greece in China. Specific issues are to be determined by the administrators of two countries.

VII. Local and Civil Exchanges

21) Both sides encourage the enhanced contacts and exchanges between the two countries' local governments, academia, research institutions, media, friendship organizations and civil societies in order to expand and consolidate the social basis for China-Greece comprehensive strategic partnership.

VIII. Bilateral Agreements

22) During the visit, the two countries signed the following agreements:

a) The Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Greece on Cooperation between Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises

b) The Memorandum of Understanding on the Year of Greece in China

c) The Memorandum of Understanding between China Chamber for the Promotion of International Trade and Greece-China Business Council

d) The Agreement of Intent on China's Import of 60 Thousand Tons of Phosphor Fertilizer from Greece

Representative of the Government of the Republic of Greece

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis

Representative of the Government of the People's Republic of China

Premier Wen Jiabao

Beijing

January 19, 2005

Original source: http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjdt/2649/t233106.htm

Other Joint Communiqués:

China-Japan | China-Russian | China-Sri Lanka | China-India-Russia | China-Mozambique | China-South Africa | China-Zambia | China-Japan-Korea | China-Benin | China-Montenegro | China-Uganda | China-Republic of Congo | China-Ghana | China-Georgia | China-Greece | China-Pakistan | China-Malaysia | China-Kazakhstan | China-Samoa | China-Portugal | China-E.U. | China-Vietnam | China-Armenia | China-Brunei Darussalam | China-Albania | China-Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) | China-Fiji Islands | China-Papua New Guinea | China-Moldova | China-Iran | China-Oman | China-United Kingdom |