Countries sign deal seeking closer economic relations

BEIJING - China and Poland on Tuesday announced the establishment of their strategic partnership, seeking more frequent high-level exchanges and closer economic and cultural ties.

President Hu Jintao and his Polish counterpart Bronislaw Komorowski signed the deal after an hour-long meeting at the Great Hall of the People.

The two countries also decided to set up a strategic dialogue mechanism at the vice-minister level to coordinate their positions on both bilateral and international affairs.

Hu said China and Poland need to strengthen political ties and support each other in key issues concerning the core interests of both countries.

Komorowski said he is satisfied with the development of bilateral ties over the past 62 years, and the two sides have respected each other's path to growth.

During the talks, Hu also called for the further deepening of cooperation in the fields of trade, transportation and minerals, and the promote of two-way investment.

Witnessed by the two presidents, China Minmetals Corporation and its Polish partner signed a commercial deal on the long-term purchase of cathode cooper.

In addition to economic cooperation, the two countries also signed agreements on the establishment of cultural centers and high education cooperation.

Komorowski on Tuesday attended the China-Poland University Presidents' Forum and announced the opening of the Polish Studies Center at Beijing Foreign Studies University.

He said the two sides should strive to achieve greater success not just in politics and economics but also in science and education cooperation, as cultural exchanges are vital to the bilateral relationship.

"Exchange and cooperation in higher education between the two countries have been quite active since the founding of the People's Republic of China, and I hope these ties can could be further strengthened," he said.

He added that Poland is open to Chinese students who want to study there, and cooperation among colleges from the two sides should be further developed.

More than 800 Polish scholarship holders are attending Chinese universities, and more than 1,000 Chinese students are studying in Poland. Since 2006, four Confucius Institutes have been established in Poland to satisfy increasing demand for information about China.

Komorowski began his trip, the first visit by a Polish president in 14 years, to Shanghai on Sunday, and a host of key economic deals were signed there.

Accompanied by a 150-strong delegation of businesspeople, scholars and high-ranking officials, the Polish president is scheduled to meet Vice-Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday and take part in a Sino-Polish economic cooperation forum.

China Daily

(China Daily 12/21/2011 page11)