Wen: Equal treatment, enhanced IPR

(China Daily)
Updated: 2012-09-14

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, meet with business representatives at the sixth World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Tianjin on Tuesday. photos by Wang Jing / China Daily

Calls for more cooperation on new, cutting-edge technologies

Premier Wen Jiabao on Tuesday assured foreign companies they will be given equal treatment to their Chinese counterparts when entering the nation's strategic emerging industries.

Wen made the remarks when meeting business representatives at the sixth World EconomicForum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions under way from Sept 11 to 13 in Tianjin.

Wen called for more cooperation with foreign companies that have cutting-edge technologies in suchemerging industries as electric vehicles, new materials, new energy, health and medicine.

He also promised to enhance protection of intellectual property rights and give equal treatment toforeign companies in government procurement.

IPR protection and equal treatment have been among the issues that most concern foreigncompanies doing business in China.

Responding to a question on China's role in world financial markets, Wen stressed that China firmlyopposes protectionism in trade, investment and finance.

China's financial market has close connections with the world market, Wen said, vowing that Chinawill follow international rules and play its role as a responsible country.

Talking about the ongoing euro zone crisis, Wen said the crux lies in how to find a balance betweenstimulating growth and fiscal austerity.

"China firmly supports the integration of the European Union and the development of the euro zone,"Wen said.

He added that he believes the EU has the capability to handle the temporary difficulty, as it has astrong foundation in economic strength, a strong reserve of science and technology talent andadvanced experience in management.

Wen acknowledged that Chinese companies, especially those doing business in EU countries, havesuffered losses in the crisis.

"Helping the EU is also helping ourselves," Wen said.

In Sino-US trade, Wen said China never seeks a trade surplus and hopes to buy more products madein the United States.

Both parties in the US presidential campaign have made it a strategy to call on Americans to not tobuy products made in China, saying the move would increase US employment.

"But China never bans Chinese customers from buying Nike shoes, iPads or iPhones," Wen said.

As the two biggest economies lack sufficient mutual trust, the US still restricts high-tech products toChina, Wen noted, calling for an easing of the restrictions.

"Fair trade between the two countries should, in the first place, follow the rules made by the WorldTrade Organization," Wen said.

China and the US are each other's biggest trading partner, with bilateral trade hitting $446.7 billion in2011, according to Chinese government statistics.

More than 60 percent of US companies investing in China have been profitable during the financialcrisis, Wen said.

The two countries should increase cooperation in trade, investment and finance on a large scale, Wensaid.

"This will help the US to an early economic recovery and increase its employment. It will also uplift thetwo countries' business cooperation onto a higher level and help maintain a long-term, stable andsustainable development," Wen said.

chenguangjin@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 09/12/2012 page15)