2004
January 26: Chinese President Hu Jintao kicked off a three-day State visit to France.
February 10: The China-EU Policy Paper Seminar was held in Beijing, in which
“Joint Action”guidelines were concluded.
February 12: China and the EU signed theMemorandum of Understanding
Concerning Visas for Chinese Tourist Groups Travelling to the European
Community and Relevant Mattersin Beijing.
February 26: Two-day 17th China-EU Human Rights Dialogue was held in Dublin.
March 16: Javier Solana Madariaga, Secretary General of the Council of the
European Union and the European Union's High Representative of the Union
for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, visited China.
April 7: Chinese President Hu Jintao met with Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter
Balkenende in Beijing.▲The China-EU High-level Space Cooperation Seminar was held in Beijing.
China and the EU signed a joint declaration for strengthening scientific and
technological cooperation.April 13: The European Commission’s President Romano Prodi visited China.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with Romano Prodi. April 14: Romano Prodi
delivered a speech entitled“The EU’s Roles in Global Change”at the Chinese
Academy of Social Sciences, and inaugurated the EU-China European Studies
Center Program at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
April 14: Chinese President Hu Jintao met with Romano Prodi, President of the
European Commission, in Beijing.
April 30: China and the EU held arms control consultations in New York.
May 2: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao kicked off a three-day official visit to
Germany. Both sides announced the establishment of a partnership with global
responsibilities within the framework of the China-EU comprehensive strategic
partnership.
May 6: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited the EU headquarters. China and the
EU released a joint press communiqué. China and the EU initialed theChina-EU
Customs Cooperation Agreementand signed many bilateral cooperation docu-
ments including the framework document forthe China-EU Competition Policy
Dialogue, theChina-EU Textiles Trade Dialogue Mechanism, and theJoint
Declaration of Galileo Cooperation, etc. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao attended
the China-EU Investment and Trade Seminar and delivered a speech.▲Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited Italy. The leaders of the two countries
officially determined the establishment of the China-Italy Government
Committee to improve bilateral cooperation in variousfields. May 9: China and
Italy decided to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership.Appendix: Chronicle of Events over Ten Years (January, 2003–September, 2013) 229