Est. 1min 14-10-2003 (updated: 07-11-2012 ) Euractiv is part of the Trust Project >>> Languages: Français | DeutschPrint Email Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram In a historic first diplomatic strategy paper on its policies towards the EU, the Chinese government has said it expects the EU to become its largest trading and investment partner. Read more with Euractiv Parliament sees progress on EU access to documents policyA new EP report on public access to documents shows that real progress has been made by the EU institutions, but there are a number of shortcomings as regards transparency. Subscribe now to our newsletter EU Elections Decoded Email Address * Politics Newsletters BackgroundThe 14-page paper discusses the status and prospects over the next five years of China's cooperation with the EU in the political, military, economic, educational, scientific, cultural, social and judicial fields. Beijing and the EU formally established relations in 1975, and the EU is now China's third largest trading partner. In the paper, China calls on the EU to grant it "full market economy status" at an early date. Beijing would also like the EU to reduce and abolish anti-dumping and other discriminatory policies and practices against China and to ease restrictions on high-tech exports in line with WTO (World Trade Organisation) rules. Beijing also called on the EU to lift a ban on arms sales to China which has been in place since the Tiananmen Square massacre 14 years ago. Hailing bilateral ties, which are showing signs of a "maturing partnership", the EU's foreign ministers on 13 October welcomed the publication of the document, and said in a statement that the EU and China "have an interest to work together to promote global stability, peace and sustainable development". However, the ministers also sharply criticised Beijing's human rights record. On 30 October, the EU will hold a summit with China in Beijing.
