On November 2, 2010, President Hu Jintao, before paying his state visit to France and Portugal, received the written interview of French newspaper Le Figaro and Portuguese news agency Lusa. He answered questions about China-France relations, China-Portugal relations, China-EU relations, the G20 Summit in Seoul, China's development road and direction and the construction of international order in the 21st century.
Concerning how China and France should develop their all-round strategic partnership under the new situation, Hu said that China-France relations have unique strategic characteristics. The bilateral cooperation has been fruitful since the two countries established diplomatic ties 46 years ago. The international situation is undergoing profound and complicated changes. As both China and France are permanent members of the UN Security Council and shoulder major international responsibilities, it is necessary to add new meanings to the bilateral ties. We are willing to conduct sincere dialogue with the French side, enhance mutual understanding and trust, respect and treat each other equally and maintain the healthy and stable progress of bilateral relations; expand bilateral trade, push forward cooperation in the traditional fields of nuclear power and aviation and accelerate cooperation in the sectors of energy efficiency, environmental protection, information technology, high-end manufacturing, new energy and new material. The bilateral cooperation should go beyond simple trade and investment activities. The two sides should become equal partners. China and France should strengthen cultural and educational exchanges based on their rich cultural traditions; strengthen strategic collaboration and cope with global challenges together. He believes that China-France all-round strategic partnership will be lifted to a higher level and bring more benefits to the people of both countries and people all over the world with the concerted efforts of both sides.
Talking about the development of China-Portugal relations, he pointed out that the Chinese and the Portuguese people enjoy a long history of friendship. In 1999, they successfully achieved the smooth transition and handover of Macao, setting up a model for countries to solve problems left from history. China and Portugal built the all-round strategic partnership in 2005, marking the beginning of a new development stage of bilateral ties. The bilateral exchanges and cooperation have made fruitful achievements. We are willing to work with the Portuguese side to increase political mutual trust, reinforce bilateral exchanges, expand pragmatic cooperation, speed up development and handle global challenges. We are full of confidence in the future of China-Portugal relations.
As to the current situation and future development of China-EU relations, he said that the bilateral relations have withstood the tests of time and the fluctuating international situation since China and EU built diplomatic ties 35 years ago. The two sides maintain frequent high-level exchanges and enjoy splendid cooperation results. EU has been China's biggest trade partner for 6 years in a row and China for the first time becomes EU's second largest export market. In the first three quarters this year, the bilateral trade volume nearly reached US$350 billion with a year-on-year growth of 34.4%. The two sides have conducted colorful cultural exchanges with the Shanghai World Expo serving as another key platform to deepen such exchanges.
He stressed that China attaches great importance to developing relations with EU, respects and supports the path of integration of Europe. China hopes EU takes a positive view on its development, respects and supports it to take a development road according to its national conditions. The two sides should respect and take care of each other's core interest and major concerns. China-EU relations in the 21st century should be featured by mutual respect and trust, equal treatment, mutual benefit and common development. The bilateral relations should play a part in building a more fair and reasonable international political and economic new order, promoting world harmony and advancing human civilization. We expect to join hands with EU to make the bilateral all-round strategic partnership more meaningful and raise the bilateral relations to a higher level.
With regard to the G20 Summit in Seoul, he indicated that the G20 Summit is an effective mechanism of the international community to jointly tackle the international financial crisis and has played a key role of boosting international cooperation and world economic recovery. The world economy is recovering slowly. But the foundation remains weak, the process is unbalanced and there exist uncertainties. We still face the sever challenges of getting rid of the shadow of international financial crisis and stimulating the strong growth of world economy. The Summit soon to be held in Seoul should focus on discussions about how to maintain solidarity, solve the root causes of the international financial crisis and consolidate the momentum of recovery. Priority should be given to the following four aspects. First, continue to strengthen the macroeconomic policy coordination in the spirit of unity and the principle of mutual benefit; send a positive signal to the market that all G20 members stand firmly together to handle the major challenges faced by world economy in order to boost market confidence and cement the momentum of recovery. Second, push forward international financial system reform, strengthen supervision on international financial market and increase the voice and representation of emerging markets and developing countries in the international financial organizations. Third, step up efforts to tackle the unbalanced South-North development and provide political support for achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Fourth, oppose protectionism, try to get comprehensive and balanced results out of the Doha Round and achieve the goals of the development round. China expects to cooperate with all countries, including France and Portugal, to handle the challenges faced by the international community and promote the strong, sustained and balanced growth of world economy.
He noted that to correct trade imbalance related parties need to change their model of economic growth and readjust their economic structure, facilitate fair and just trade and oppose various forms of protectionism. China's exchange rate policy is consistent and responsible. China is pushing forward the reform of RMB exchange rate formation mechanism steadily. It will follow the principle of initiative, controllability and gradual progress to improve the managed floating exchange rate system, maximize the role of market of balancing demand and supply, increase the flexibility and keep the basic stability of RMB exchange rate at a reasonable and balanced level. The stable and relatively fast growth of the Chinese economy is very significant to the recovery and long-term development of world economy.
As to China's development road and direction, he pointed out that the Chinese nation enjoys more than 5,000 years of civilization. It has created glorious culture and experienced a history of hardships, twists and turns entering the modern age. Since the founding of New China 61 years ago, especially since the launch of reform and opening-up 32 years ago, the entire Chinese people have forged ahead with great solidarity and made world-acclaimed achievements. Their living standard is improved significantly. Such a result is hard-won and should be attributed to the unremitting efforts of the Chinese people, to the implementation of reform and opening-up and more importantly to the development road chosen by the Chinese people according to China's national conditions.
He emphasized that China's development is an important component of the development of human society. China's development means opportunities to France, Portugal and the entire Europe. China will unswervingly follow the road of peaceful development, pursue the mutually beneficial and win-win strategy of opening up and continue to conduct friendly cooperation with all countries in order to build a harmonious world with lasting peace and common prosperity. This is the strategic choice of the Chinese government and people. This strategic choice is made based on China's national conditions, complies with the trend of the times and reflects the consistency of China's internal and external policies. China respects the right of people of other countries to choosing their own development roads and never interferes in other countries' internal affairs or imposes its will upon others. We are committed to solving international disputes peacefully, pursue a defensive national defense policy and never seek hegemony or expansion.
Talking about the construction of international order in the 21st century, he said that the second decade of the 21st century will start soon and the fate of people all over the world has never been interlinked as closely as now. Countries should try to forge a new type of nation-to-nation relations featured by mutual respect and mutual trust politically and mutual benefit and complementarities economically and advance world multi-polarization and democracy of international relations with an open mind and strategic insight.
He stressed that we believe countries should set up a win-win vision, combine the interest of their own people with that of people all around the world, share successful experience and carry out cooperation in an opener attitude. We believe countries should coexist in harmony, practice the new security concept of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation, solve disputes peacefully and maintain world peace and development. The international community, especially developed countries, should increase support for and assistance to developing countries and help them achieve the MDGs at the earliest date possible. It is important to strengthen the dialogue and cooperation between developing and developed countries, increase the representation of developing countries in the global governance system and build a new type of global development partnership. He believes that the 21st century will be a century of peace, development and cooperation with the joint efforts of the international community.
With regard to China's cooperation with Portuguese-speaking countries, he pointed out that the Forum on Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, since its launch, has become a major bridge between the two sides and a key platform of promoting their common development. China's trade volume with Portuguese-speaking countries was US$11 billion in 2003 when the Forum was just established and soared to US$77 billion in 2008. From January to August this year, the bilateral trade volume increased by 61% over the same period of last year to US$58.58 billion. He is confident that this multilateral intergovernmental cooperation mechanism will help stimulate China's trade and economic cooperation with Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking countries.