Spotlight: European entrepreneurs, media applaud Chinese premier's visit

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's just-concluded five-day Europe visit has drawn warm applause from European entrepreneurs and media.

They commented that the June 28-July 2 trip, during which Li attended the 17th China-EU leaders' meeting and met with Belgian leaders in Brussels and paid a visit to France, contributes to deepening cooperation between China and the EU.

Markus J. Beyrer, director general of BusinessEurope, a leading business lobby group on the continent, said he was very much impressed by Li's speech at the China-EU business summit because "there is a very clear message especially on cooperation in investment."

"I think this is an opportunity for cooperation and we should build on this," Beyrer said, indicating that the summit has laid a good foundation for strengthening cooperation in the future.

Harald Lux, chairman of the board of directors of the German-Chinese Business Association, said Li's speech will intensify economic relations between the EU and China, especially their cooperation in infrastructure investment, and will promote trade between the two sides.

"I am very confident that the good partnership and business relationship (between the EU and China) will continue to improve," Lux said.

Luigi Gambardella, executive chair of the European Telecommunications Network, said that enhancing EU-China cooperation in science and technology as mentioned by Li is very important.

He said he hopes that the two sides will broaden cooperation in such areas as smart technology and big data, and build an important foundation for the economy in the future.

During Li's France visit, the two countries signed more than 50 agreements, indicating that the economic relationship is "at its best level in history," an AFP report said.

Li wrapped up his France tour in the southern city of Toulouse, where he and French Prime Minister Manuel Valls attended a business summit. Li also visited the Airbus headquarters in the city.

"I repeat once again, Chinese investors are welcome in France," Valls was quoted by the report as saying.

In his meeting with French President Francois Hollande on Tuesday, Li announced that Beijing has formulated a document about its voluntary actions on cutting emissions and submitted it to the UN Climate Change Secretariat.

According to an article published by French daily Les Echos, Hollande said the move shows "China's commitment to building an ecological civilization."

Another French newspaper, Le Monde, said in an article published on its website that France intends to join hands with China in seeking cooperation in Africa.

"Having strong cultural, political and economic ties with the African continent, Paris hopes to promote complementarity with China," the article said, adding that some French enterprises have cooperated with Chinese partners.

Marcos Bonturi, director of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for global relations, said Li's impressive and forward-looking speech at the OECD headquarters demonstrated China's view on major challenges facing the world and explained how China will contribute to addressing these challenges.

Bonturi said Li's affirmation of the achievements scored in OECD-China cooperation made him feel that there are great opportunities for future cooperation between the two sides.

Mario Pezzini, director of the OECD Development Center, said Li's statements were impressive and touched upon a variety of topics.

Economic growth is only an aspect of the development of China, whose fundamental goal is to change the life of the people, Pezzini said.

The article on Le Monde said China is "increasingly involved in global economic governance" and its entry to the OECD Development Center shows that "the second largest economy wants to assume its responsibilities in the economic governance of the world."

Marc Hamy, head of Airbus's department of relations with Asia Public Affairs, said the Chinese premier's visit to France provided Airbus with opportunities to cooperate with China in large-aircraft manufacturing.

An A330 completion and delivery center will be set up in Tianjin in north China.

Song Kai, general manager of Huawei France, said the exchange of visits by leaders of China and France pushed bilateral cooperation to a new high.

Huawei, as a Chinese telecommunications giant committed to long-term development and operation in France, has become more determined to make investment in France, Song said.

Huawei, he added, will increase its investment in France while enhancing cooperation with its French partners. Endi