Interview: Poland can act as ambassador in relations between China, Europe: Polish President

Polish President Andrzej Duda has said that Poland could become a kind of a logistics center for China's "Belt and Road" initiative and act as an ambassador in relations between China, Central and Eastern Europe and the European Union (EU).

The newly-elected Polish president made the remarks in an exclusive interview to Xinhua at his Palace, ahead of the fourth leaders' meeting of China and Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, to be held in east China's Suzhou city from Nov. 24 to 25.

Duda called the proposed economic link between Asia and Europe an ingenious idea connecting two parts of the world, and said Poland was situated in "a very strategic place" for the Belt and Road initiative.

The project was significant not only for China and Europe, but for the whole area through which the initiative would run, the president said. It could, to a great extent, contribute to intensifying economic cooperation, commerce, and the flow of goods and services.

The Polish president said of China: "Today, we can say it is a world power in terms of economy; a dynamically developing country," he said.

"It is also a country which is open; open to economic cooperation, growth, and what is especially interesting, open to growing together with their partners," Duda added, saying China is a promising partner for Poland, hence why he attaches great importance to his upcoming visit to the country.

Regarding possible areas of mutual cooperation, Duda listed transport, infrastructure, mining and hi-tech industries.

He also stressed the role of Polish agricultural products could play in trade: "Polish fruit, yoghurt, and meat conquer Western Europe markets. They are already valued in France and Germany. I am certain that in the nearest future, the Chinese would also inquire about these specific Polish products," the President said.

For Duda, who previously worked as a lecturer at the University in Krakow, intellectual exchange between Polish and Chinese universities could provide fertile ground for greater cooperation between the two countries, as both had great traditions with regard to knowledge and innovation.

He also recalled that the famous Polish composer Chopin, known as Xiaobang in Chinese, was yet another example of how the two countries shared cultural similarities that extended beyond language barriers.

"I think that despite the differences in the languages we speak, we will find a common language. We are already finding it," the president said.

After the Central and Eastern European China summit in Suzhou, President Duda is to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, something Duda said was a very important part in establishing and intensifying mutual cooperation.

The president then turned to the approaching climate conference COP21 to be held in Paris in December. He said reducing greenhouse gas emissions needed to be encouraged, because it was important for everyone.

To that end, Duda noted that Poland had already achieved great success, as the country had managed to reduce CO2 emissions by 30 percent in the last dozens of years.

However, the Polish position on the impending Paris conference was much more complex and difficult insofar as the country's industry was mainly based on coal, which makes up 90 percent of Europe's coal deposits, he said.

"Due to that fact," Duda said, "the requirement to completely turn away from coal, decarbonization in its broadest sense, is de facto contrary to Polish strategic interests."

But the president said he was not opposed to increasing investment in new, environmentally sustainable technologies, "which limit emissions, which are pro-environment, but simultaneously make better use of the fuel, the energy resource we have, which is coal."

To conclude, Duda shifted to the recent terrorists attacks in Paris and the issue of threats to security, saying it was important to act unanimously to put an end to the conflict in Syria and reduce causes of migration flow. Endit