China calls for joint efforts with EU against protectionism

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan (C), Chinese Minister of Commerce Chen Deming (L) and Minister of Finance Xie Xuren attend the Second China-European Union High Level Economic and Trade Dialog at the EU headquarters in Brussels, capital of Belgium, May 7, 2009. (Xinhua/Wu Wei)

The European Union (EU) and China should work together to ward off potential surge of protectionism amid the global economic slump, Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan said on Thursday.

"China and the EU should stand firm against any form of protectionism for the sake of a global economic recovery," Wang said in an opening remark at a high-level economic and trade dialogue between the EU and China, two major trading powers in the world.

The EU is now China's largest trading partner, while China is the second largest of the EU. Trade volume between them grew to 425.58 billion U.S. dollars in 2008, an increase of 19.5 percent over the previous year despite the impact of the financial crisis, according to figures from China's customs authorities.

Wang said the two sides have every reason to avoid protectionism, either for the urgent need to work out of the current crisis or due to the irreversible trend of globalization.