Foreign and Military Affairs

Wen urges Sino-UK green economy cooperation

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-06-27 13:47

LONDON - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao proposed on Sunday that China and Britain prioritize their cooperation on boosting green economy to jointly pursue sustainable development and contribute to world economic recovery and the fight against climate change.

Wen said that when meeting with British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and figures from British economic circles.

He also said that the current debt crises in some European countries have brought difficulties to the European economy and show that there are some uncertain factors facing the world economic recovery.

The Chinese premier said that two years ago when the international financial crisis was at its severest, he said repeatedly that "confidence is of greater importance than gold and currency".

"Today, I still believe that firm confidence is still needed when coping with the European sovereign debt crisis, mainly through Europe's own efforts," Wen said.

Meanwhile, international cooperation should be strengthened to jointly counter the challenge, he added.

Wen also said that both China and Britain advocate free trade and attach importance to multilateral trade mechanisms.

Both sides should jointly oppose all forms of protectionism and substantially advance the Doha round negotiations, he noted.

For their part, Clegg and those present at the meeting from British economic circles said that boosting economic growth and protecting the environment are the common challenges facing the international community.

Britain is shaking off the impact of the international financial crisis. China and Britain share broad space for cooperation in such fields as scientific and technological innovation, energy saving and environment protection, and green economy, they said.

Britain is willing to work closely with China and be its partner to jointly boost economic growth, they added.

On Sunday morning, Wen also visited the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of renowned British playwright William Shakespeare, near Birmingham.

Wen is currently on a three-nation Europe tour, which has already taken him to Hungary and will also take him to Germany.