China-EU leaders jointly announced on December 30 that they had completed the China-EU investment agreement negotiations on schedule.
In this regard, Chinese and European business circles commented positively and expressed their optimism about the prospect of investment cooperation between the two sides.
Zhou Lihong, president of the China Chamber of Commerce of the European Union, believes that the timely completion of the China-EU investment agreement negotiations is the right choice made by China and the EU at a critical historic moment.
This will not only provide new impetus for China to deepen reform, expand opening up, achieve high-quality development and build a new development pattern, but also accelerate the use of green and digital dual-core drive. The dynamic economic modernization process of the EU will promote its economic recovery and growth, while also boosting global investment and trade confidence and providing an example for the construction and reform of international multilateral mechanisms.
The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China also issued a statement welcoming the completion of the negotiation of the agreement.
Jorg Wutke, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, said that the China-EU investment agreement will bring substantial benefits to both sides, including more product choices and more market opportunities. The timely completion of investment agreement negotiations is also a counterattack to protectionism.
Karl Fei, a professor at the Business School of Alto University in Finland, said that the China-EU investment agreement will benefit both sides, which sends a signal to stay away from protectionism and support free trade.
Ding Chun, director of the Center for European Studies of Fudan University, believes that the smooth conclusion of the China-EU investment agreement negotiations is conducive to free trade and multilateralism, reflects the strong political will of both sides, and is conducive to the recovery of the world economy under the epidemic.
“The CIA will bring stability and predictability to European and Chinese investors amid the economic headwinds brought by the coronavirus pandemic,” said Shada Islam, an independent commentator who studies EU policy.
Kong Yu, vice president of Huawei’s European Public Affairs, said that he expects the China-EU investment agreement to provide clear and non-discriminatory market access conditions for enterprises on both sides and create a stable and predictable development environment for enterprise development.
Xu Haifeng, chairman of the Bank of China (Luxembourg) Co., Ltd., said that under the current background of the rise of protectionism and unilateralism and the global epidemic, the China-EU Investment Agreement will further consolidate the concept of globalization and development, safeguard multilateralism and free trade, and strongly promote the world economic recovery.
Chen Fei, chairman of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Europe) Co., Ltd., believes that the China-EU investment agreement will provide a solid institutional framework guarantee for China-EU economic and trade cooperation, and means good development opportunities for overseas institutions of Chinese banks.
He Yipeng, general manager of BYD Europe Co., Ltd., said that the negotiation of the China-EU investment agreement is one of the institutional constructions between the two sides to deepen economic and trade relations, which will create a more level playing field for enterprises and reduce trade barriers.
