Premier Wen Jiabao Is Addressing the Forum

On December 10, 2005, Premier Wen Jiabao of the State Council of China and Prime Minister Jose Socrates of Portugal attended China-Portugal Entrepreneurs Forum jointly organized by China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and Portugal's Bureau of Foreign Market Development.

Premier Wen delivered a speech at the Forum to nearly 300 Chinese and Portuguese entrepreneurs. He said that it is an established national policy of China to continue to open up. In these 4 years since China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), we have been sincerely fulfilling our commitments, promoting the market opening, and increasing the transparency of China's trade policies by abolishing and revising nearly 3000 provisions and rules. The average tariff dropped from 15.3% in 2001 to today's 10.4%. The majority of non-tariff measures have been eliminated. China will continue to promote the opening of the service, banking, insurance and distribution sectors, improve the laws and regulations, strengthen the protection of intellectual property and create a more favorable environment for foreign investors.

Premier Wen Jiabao of the State Council of China and Prime Minister Jose Socrates of Portugal are attending China-Portugal Entrepreneurs Forum jointly organized by China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and Portugal's Bureau of Foreign Market Development.

Wen said that the decision made by the two governments to establish comprehensive strategic partnership marks that bilateral relations have entered a new stage. The economic and trade cooperation is an important component of China-Portugal relationship and a key driver behind the growth of bilateral ties. Both sides should grasp opportunities and push for greater development of bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

Premier Wen Jiabao of the State Council of China and Prime Minister Jose Socrates of Portugal are attending China-Portugal Entrepreneurs Forum jointly organized by China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and Portugal's Bureau of Foreign Market Development.

Socrates said in his speech that China plays an important role in the world economy. China is the largest foreign investment destination and China's investment to the overseas market is also increasing. This provides Portuguese enterprises with opportunities. China and Portugal have established comprehensive strategic partnership, laying a solid political foundation for the bilateral economic and trade cooperation. Both sides have a common wish to strengthen economic and trade cooperation. Therefore, both sides should look into the future, tap potentials and strengthen cooperation.

Premier Wen Jiabao of the State Council of China and Prime Minister Jose Socrates of Portugal are attending the Workshop on China-Portugal Reciprocal Cooperation on Language Education and Cultural Diversity jointly organized by the Ministry of Education of China and the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Higher Education of Portugal

Afterward Premier Wen and Prime Minister Jose Socrates attended the Workshop on China-Portugal Reciprocal Cooperation on Language Education and Cultural Diversity jointly organized by the Ministry of Education of China and the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Higher Education of Portugal.

Premier Wen said at the Workshop that the language is an important part of human civilization, a carrier for the succession of civilization, and an important tool for the exchange of ideas and expression of feelings. Every nation has its own unique and valuable language and culture, which play an important role in the process of exchange between different nations. The development of all languages on an equal footing and transcending the traditional geographical boundaries is an important part of cultural diversity and the precondition for the realization of civilization diversity. China gives priority to the exchange with all countries in the area of language and culture, and encourages the public, especially the youths, to learn and borrow from the achievements of all civilizations of human societies though learning and using the languages of other nations. I hope that the language promotion authorities and teaching institutions of the two countries strengthen exchange and communication to learn and borrow from the successful practice and useful experience of each other in the promotion of local language and culture in other countries and contribute to the succession of China-Portugal friendship for generations by taking advantage of modern information technologies and promoting the exchanges in the field of language education.

Socrates said that knowing a foreign culture may broaden one's thinking and vision. Under the globalization context, the cultural and language exchange between nations is of great importance. Portugal and China enjoy a long history of exchanges. It is one of our tasks in the new century to deepen the exchange and cooperation in language and culture, which is of strategic significance. I hope that the agencies and people engaged in language and cultural exchange could work hard for the future of comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

Premier Wen is visiting the Photo Exhibition Casting Your Eyes on China. Premier Wen is shaking hands with Portuguese officials at the opening ceremony of the Photo Exhibition.

On the same day, Premier Wen visited the World Expo Garden in Lisbon and the Photo Exhibition Casting Your Eye on China.