Europe keen to join China's Belt and Road Initiative

Gianni Pittella, president of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, is pictured in this undated file photo. [Photo/IC]

Brussels welcomes China getting involved in its investment planning and would also be happy to take part in China's Belt and Road Initiative, said Gianni Pittella, president of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament.

Pittella is leading a delegation to Beijing and Shanghai to discuss several issues related to economic and political relationships.

He says the sum China will invest in the European Commission's 315 billion euro ($354.8 billion) investment plan for 2015-17 is not yet known, but for Europe it is the more the better. He hopes China will consistently invest in areas such as logistics, energy, environment, digital agenda and research.

Pittella says Europe has to improve its economy. As Europe has its investment plan and China the Belt and Road Initiative it is time for both parties to enhance cooperation to help each other reduce costs and enhance exchanges of people and products.

"We want to inaugurate a phase focusing on growth and job creation," he said.

Itsvan Ujheyi, a member of the Transport Committee and the delegation to China, said tourism would become an industry that sees the biggest collaboration between China and Europe. By 2020, there will be about 100 million Chinese traveling overseas and Europe is likely to be the biggest destination for outbound tourism. Another delegation from the European Commission is also in Beijing discussing collaboration in tourism, including details such as visa policy.

The delegation also discussed a wide broad of topics such as climate change, market access, Intellectual Property Rights, greater connectivity between Europe and Asia and cooperation on tackling common global challenges.

Pittella says China should also work with Europe to help Africa.

"We discussed many issues of foreign policy. We decided to cooperate to help Africa. Africa is our priority, priority for our group, priority for China," he said.

"In Africa there are many conflict areas where children are completely excluded from education. There is an entire generation which is out of education," he said.

He added that Europe is the biggest sponsor of international development aid programs and China is becoming a more important contributor, so it is hoped Chinese and European governments can build a collaboration system to help solve urgent needs of African people and communities.

After the Ebola outbreak the Chinese government sent medical equipment, medicine and doctors and other countries did similar. If every party created a system they could respond to critical disease more quickly.