Experts: EU should learn from China-CEEC win-win cooperation model

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang announced financial support for cooperation between China and 16 Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC) on Monday. Experts said that China-CEEC cooperation would benefit all entities, adding that the EU should learn such win-win cooperation model.

Li said that China Development Bank will provide an equivalent of 2.4 billion US dollars as development-oriented loans, which are used for establishment of China-CEEC Inter-Bank Association. Meanwhile, Li also announced that the second phase of the investment cooperation fund that totaled one billion US dollars will be mainly invested in Central and Eastern Europe.

Infrastructure is the key word with no doubt. Besides, "there will be more projects announcing for area of financial cooperation. And also I think China could import more products from these countries, especially agriculture products," according to John Gong, professor from University of International Business and Economics.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that Chinese investment brings huge opportunities to the whole of Europe. As CEEC nations have been land-locked for a long period, commentator Einar Tangen said China-CEEC cooperation would benefit all entities involved, not only through a road that opens up for CEEC to China’s vast market and the rest of Asia, but also a road for China to the Europe directly.

And China does not come with an ideology, that’s a main reason why China is welcomed by CEEC. "We come, trying to help countries trade with us, and trade with others. This is globalization," Tangen added.

CGTN Photo

But that closer cooperation between China and CEEC may raise some concerns on EU’s attitudes. Gong said the EU should "encourage and support" the cooperation and investment in CEEC. "The economic development in this area is in the interest of overall EU. It is contributed to the total integration of European countries," Gong said.

"The EU is not providing alternatives to these land-locked countries in terms of infrastructure development where China is. I think the EU should look at this win-win [cooperation between China and CEEC]. Doors are open to both ways. This is not simply a one-way door," Tangen commented.