the main task in the EU’s foreign policy”.^68 Thus a common concern on both sides
about cyber security constitutes the foundation for them to engage in further
cooperation in this area in the future.
- Crisis management
The two sides reached a consensus on strengthening cooperation in crisis
management and agreed to jointly carry out the China-EU crisis management
project during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to Europe in 2009. In 2011, the
two sides set up the“Crisis Consulting Experts Meeting”mechanism to coordinate
the capabilities of both sides for dealing with crises. In June 2012, the China-EU
Institute of Emergency Management was founded in Beijing. This cooperation
project shores up an institutionalized platform for the two sides to communicate and
cooperate in emergency management. With cooperation between the two sides in
food safety, coal mine collapse, chemical leakage, natural disasters, etc., China can
draw upon the EU’s experience to improve its capability for emergency manage-
ment and intensify the training of emergency management professionals.
2.4.1.3 Anti-Piracy Navigation Escort Cooperation Outside
the Bilateral Dialogue Mechanism
Ininternationalsecurityaffairs,anti-piracynavigationescortactionintheGulfofAden
hasbecomethenewareaforpragmaticcooperationbetweenthetwosides.^69 However,
such cooperation is conducted outside the existing political dialogue mechanism.
Guaranteeing the security of seaways in the Gulf of Aden is of great strategic
significance for both sides. Statistics data illustrate that trade transport by sea
accounts for 95 % of the total international trade, while goods shipped through the
Gulf of Aden exceed 12 % of the total goods traded worldwide. The Gulf of Aden
witnesses the transport of 30 % of the crude oil for the EU, while 80 % of the goods
transported by this route by China have some connections with the EU.^70 In
addition, developing other seaways besides the Strait of Malacca to ensure the
safety of overseas investments and energy trade and to safeguard national interests
is of momentous strategic significance for China.^71 For that reason, with the
(^68) Europa press,“Remarks by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton at the Press Conference
of the Launch of the EU’s Cyber Security Strategy,”Brussels, 7 February 2013, A 69/13.
(^69) Liang Guanglie:Navigation Escort Has Become New Field for Pragmatic Cooperation in the
Military Field between China and the EU, People’s Daily Online,http://military.people.com.cn/
GB/172467/16000334.html.
(^70) U.S. Department of Transportation, Economic Impact of Piracy in the Gulf of Aden on Global
Trade,”http://www.marad.dot.gov/documents/HOA_Economic%20Impact20of%20Paricy.pdf.
(^71) Liu Yanxun et al.:Behind Naval Escort Off Somalia: the Chinese Navy Heads for the“Deep
Blue”,China News Service Online,http://www.chinanews.com/gn/news/2009/01-05/1513983.
shtml.
2 China-EU Political Relations 59