中荷两国寻求进一步合作
中荷两国寻求进一步合作
China and the Netherlands seeking closer cooperation
A newly cultivated variety of tulip was named "Cathay" in the Netherlands on Sunday by Peng Liyuan, who is visiting the country with her husband President Xi Jinping.
After Peng poured champagne to bless the tulip, Dutch Queen Maxima offered it as a gift to China's first lady. Cathay is the old name of China in Holland, and is translated as guotai, meaning "prosperous country".
And prosperity is exactly what leaders of both countries are hoping for.
China, the Netherlands seek closer co-op
First lady Peng Liyuan blesses a new type of tulip in the presence of President Xi Jinping, Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Dutch Queen Maxima in Lisse on Sunday. [Photo/Xinhua]
The countries decided on Sunday to build a partnership that stresses openness and pragmatism, according to a statement issued after Xi's meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
Xi is on a state visit ahead of the two-day Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague that starts on Monday.
Xi said the Netherlands was one of the first Western countries to recognize New China and their cooperation has been at the forefront of China's cooperation with European countries.
The open and pragmatic partnership will contribute to the development of relations between China and Europe, Xi said.
He proposed that the countries maintain high-level exchanges and respect each others' core interests and major concerns, while emphasizing cooperation in areas including dairy, flood control, training of talent, food safety, and technological research and development.
"China welcomes the Netherlands expanding dairy exports," Xi said, adding the country embraces Dutch businesses seizing opportunities in a broad spectrum of areas in China.
They include energy-saving and environmental protection, new energy, urban sustainable development and financial services.
Xi said he hoped the Netherlands will facilitate China's investment and play a part in pushing the earlier completion of a Sino-Europe investment pact.
Rutte said his country will promote Sino-European collaboration within the EU, and said the Netherlands hopes to expand bilateral trade and two-way investment.
In addition, the Netherlands will open a consulate in Chongqing in Southwest China, he said.
On Sunday, Xi and Rutte witnessed the signing of several trade agreements, including cooperation in energy and dairy, and the launching of a Chinese cultural center in the Netherlands.
Xi also attended the opening ceremony of a trade and investment forum with Dutch King Willem-Alexander.
The king said the Netherlands admired China's feats and acknowledged the opportunities and challenges it faced in its development.
The king said he hoped the countries will expand mutually beneficial cooperation and become partners for common prosperity.
Also on Sunday, Xi and his wife had a private luncheon with the king and queen in the famous Keukenhof Castle.
The dairy trade pact is expected to bring Dutch expertise to help Chinese producers boost the quality and quantity of their milk, the Associated Press reported on Sunday.
Experts will help China increase its annual milk production to 40 billion kilograms in coming years, the report quoted an unidentified Dutch government source as saying.
"China will bring more opportunities for foreign investors while the country has been striving for equality and prosperity for each citizen. The direction can bring more business opportunity for us as well," said Frans Frielink, vice-president for business development of GreenPeak Technologies BV in the Netherlands, after hearing the president's speech at an economic and trade forum.
Nancy McKinstry, CEO of Wolters Kluwer in the Netherlands, a global information services company, said it is encouraging to see China continuing to stimulate investment and hiring in the services industry, such as healthcare.
"We are seeing that over the past years spending on healthcare in China has grown considerably, and we see growth in the Chinese healthcare segment as an important part of our company's business strategy," said McKinstry.
The Netherlands has been China's second-biggest trading partner in the European Union for 11 years. It is also China's third-largest source of foreign direct investment in the EU.
Meanwhile, China is the biggest trading partner and second largest source of investment for the Netherlands outside the EU.
周日，陪同中国主席习近平出访荷兰的夫人彭丽媛应邀将荷兰新培育的郁金香命名为“国泰”（Cathay)。为郁金香浇上香槟祈福之后，荷兰马克西玛王后将其作为礼物赠予彭丽媛。荷兰以前将中国称作Cathay，译为“国泰”，意思是”繁荣的国度“。
国家繁荣昌盛也是中荷两国领导人所共同期待的。
China, the Netherlands seek closer co-op
周日，荷兰利瑟镇，图为国家主席夫人彭丽媛为郁金香浇上香槟祈福，中国国家主席习近平和荷兰马克西玛王后也在场。
中国国家主席习近平与荷兰首相马克·吕特（Mark Rutte)于周日举行会谈，双方发表联合声明，一致决定建立开放务实的合作伙伴关系。
习近平对荷兰的国事访问结束后，周一起将赴海牙参加为期两天的核安全峰会。
习近平表示，荷兰是最早承认新中国的西方国家之一，两国的合作也是中国同欧洲国家开展合作的门户。
开放务实的合作伙伴关系有利于推进中欧关系的发展，习近平表示。
习近平提出，中荷两国应保持高层交往，尊重彼此核心利益和重大关切，重点加强奶业、防洪、人才培训、食品安全、技术研发等方面合作。
“中方欢迎荷兰扩大奶制品对华出口，”习说道，并称中国欢迎荷兰企业赴中国寻求更广阔的发展机会。
包括在节能环保、新能源、城市可持续发展、金融服务等领域拓展新的合作。
中方希望荷方为中国企业在荷投资提供更多便利，并发挥积极作用推动中欧投资协定谈判早日完成。
荷兰首相吕特表示荷兰将在欧盟内积极推动欧中合作，并称荷方希望扩大双边贸易和投资。
此外，吕特表示荷兰即将在中国西南部城市重庆开设总领馆。
周日，习近平和吕特签署了几项重要贸易协定，包括在能源、奶制品领域开展合作，并在荷兰设立中国文化中心。
习近平还与荷兰国王威廉-亚历山大（Willem-lexander)共同出席中荷经贸合作论坛开幕式。
亚历山大国王表示，荷方赞赏中国所取得的各项成就，并谈及荷兰在发展过程中所面临的机遇和挑战。
他希望荷中两国扩大互惠合作，开展伙伴关系，实现共同繁荣。
周日，荷兰国王与王后还邀请习近平及夫人彭丽媛在著名的库肯霍夫城堡享用私人午宴。
据美联社周日报道，中荷签订乳品贸易协定，荷兰承诺向中国提供专业技术，协助改善中国牛奶的质量及生产数量。
引自未经确认的荷兰政府来源称，当地的养牛专家们将协助中国，在数年内提升牛奶年产量至400亿公斤。
在中荷经贸合作论坛上听完中国主席习近平的致辞后，荷兰GreenPeak 科技公司业务拓展副总裁Frans Frielink表示："中国将给外国投资者带来更多的机会，并一直努力为本国人民创造更加公平和富足的生活。这一趋势也将为我们两国带来更多的商机。”
荷兰一家全球信息服务公司威科集团（Wolters Kluwer)的首席执行官南希∙麦肯思基（Nancy McKinstry)女士说道，看到中国继续在服务行业如医疗保障方面鼓励投资和促进就业，她觉得非常鼓舞人心。
麦肯斯基还说道：“我们看到，过去几年中国用于医疗保障的投入大大增加，我们也将中国医保方面的发展视为我们公司商业策略的重要部分。”
11年来，荷兰是中国在欧盟内的第二大贸易伙伴，还是欧盟内中国第三大外商直接投资来源。
同时，中国是荷兰在欧盟以外的最大贸易伙伴国和第二大投资来源。
>>点击查看更多关于双语新闻的文章
