The parties discussed issues affecting both the EU and China, including unemployment, inequalities, and social welfare systems. They also discussed mutual interests of economic cooperation, social democracy, and human rights. Meetings took place between the Sergei Stanishev and with Mr. Chen Guoming, Deputy Secretary General of the General Office of the Standing Committee of the NPC and H.E. Mr. Liu Qibao, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, Head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee.
Addressing leading Chinese scholars and experts during a seminar on European social democracy hosted by the International Department of the CPC, Sergei Stanishev said that PES is committed to strengthening relations between China and EU and added:
‘The regular contacts between the Chinese government and the EU show that there is a real commitment between the two sides. We must use the EU-China 2020 Strategic Agenda to advance our cooperation in the fields of peace, prosperity, sustainable development and people-to-people exchanges’.
Speaking to leading members of the CPC Central Committee, Stanishev highlighted a number of issues of importance for European social democrats:
‘In December the World Climate Summit is taking place in Paris. Both the EU and China have made serious commitments to tackle climate change. In this respect The PES has agreed on 21 progressive priorities at the last Leaders meeting in Paris. We welcome China’s commitments to implement an emissions trading system, to promote renewable power and to invest in climate finance for developing countries. As progressives in Europe, we hope to see a binding and strong commitment after the Summit in Paris’.
The PES delegation to China consisted of PES President Sergei Stanishev, PES Vice-President Katarína Neved’alová, Deputy Secretary Generals Giacomo Filibeck and Marije Laffeber, and Policy Adviser Karen Mets.
