2016年CRI China Slams EU Legislature's Refusal to Grant Due Market Economy Status

A key focus between the two sides is a resistence by the European Parliament to grant China Market Economy Status, or MES. The Parliamentarians argued that such a move would have "strong social, economic and environmental consequences in the EU."

MES would give China the same market status as the U.S. and European Union when it comes to anti-dumping investigations 1 before the World Trade Organization.

According to China's WTO accession protocol 2, the country automatically wins MES status after December 11th this year anyway.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged the European Union's legislature to honor its commitment and view China's development objectively.

"We don't take the resolution passed by the European Parliament as constructive 3 at all. The decision about whether or not to give China its market economy status or MES cannot be based on the implementation 4 of Article 15 in China's Protocol of Accession to the WTO. These are two different things."

Wang added that the EU was legally obliged to honor Article 15 regardless.

"Article 15 clearly stipulates 5 that WTO members stop the "surrogate country" practice in anti-dumping investigations against China. It's an obligation under an international treaty for all to honor and it's not hinged onto the domestic standards of any member."

"Surrogate country system" is a term used by the EU in anti-dumping investigations under which costs of production in a third country are used to calculate the value of products from non-market economies.

Wang Yi suggested European lawmakers take a balanced view of China's past and future.

He said that as the world's second largest economy and biggest trade partner for more than 130 countries, China has become a bedrock for protecting global free trade.

On other matters - the two foreign ministers pledged that both China and France will continue to expand cooperation and explore new opportunities in a variety of areas.

"Both sides agreed to discuss about the docking of Made-in-China 2025 with France's Industry of Future strategies in order to seek win-win mutual 6 benefits and common development and to upgrade the two sides' mechanism 7 for cooperation. We will expand cooperation from existing areas like nuclear power and aerospace 8 into such areas as finance, sustainable development, agri-food production and tourism."

Both sides have also agreed that the only way to solve the Syrian crisis is through a political settlement featuring dialogue and peaceful negotiation 9 as well as adherence 10 to UN resolutions.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault pledged more efforts to strengthen the bilateral 11 strategic partnership 12.

"Bilateral relations between France and China are historically at their best level, the mutual visits from both Chinese and French presidents strongly testify to it. As for me, as the new minister for foreign affairs I want to contribute to reinforce this France-Chinese global strategic partnership, first from the point of view of political dialogue as well as our economic relations which need to be amplified 13 in a balanced manner and also by reinforcing human exchange."

He also welcomed the increasing numbers of Chinese tourists visiting France to watch matches during the upcoming European Cup in June held in the country.

Ayrault's visit to China ends Tuesday.