Cultural relations with China - Androulla Vassiliou opens dialogue

Androulla Vassiliou's visit to China has helped cement positive relations between the EU and China, opening a dialogue on cultural cooperation, and various other issues.

On Sunday 23 October, Mrs Vassiliou attended a celebration at the China Central Academy for Fine Arts Art Museum (CAFA) commemorating the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Belgium. Her discussions there clarified possible ways of improving innovative cooperation between the EU and China.

On Monday 24 October, Commissioner Vassiliou took part in the opening of the high-level forum on social governance hosted by the Chinese Academy of Governance in collaboration with the EU-funded CEPA-II project. In her speech Mrs Vassiliou stressed that social equity was an indispensible factor in achieving smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in full respect of human rights.

The following day, the Commissioner exchanged ideas with young people at the EU-China Youth Summit. In the afternoon, she held discussions with State Councillor Liu Yandong, her counterpart for the EU-China high level people to people dialogue – due to be launched officially at the 14th EU-China Summit (date to be confirmed). The aim of the dialogue is to strengthen the existing partnership on education, culture and youth policy. Liu Yandong is expected in Brussels in spring 2012 – for a first meeting of the people-to-people dialogue and to sign a joint declaration.

During the remaining days of her visit to China, Commissioner Vassiliou opened the Beijing EU Film Festival and visited the "The Art of Enlightenment" exhibition sponsored by the German Embassy.

 

Pictures of the visit

24 October 2011

 

26 October 2011

27 October 2011

Video clips of the visit

Androulla Vassiliou meets Hao Ping, Chinese Deputy Minister of Education and gives press conference on the EU Film Festival

 

At the China-EU Youth Summit in Beijing