with the largest amount in China-EU antidumping history; this case involved
more than 1,200 Chinese shoe manufacturers, the employment of one million
people and 0.67 billion USD. March 24: the European Traders Association
made a statement to criticize the EU’s imposition of an antidumping duty on
leather shoes made in China and Vietnam.
April 7: The EU started imposing antidumping duties on Chinese shoes.
April 20: Chinese Vice-premier Hui Liangyu led a delegation to visit France.
During this visit, the two sides signed theJoint Declaration of Chinese and
French Governments for Agricultural Cooperation.
May 21: German Chancellor Angela Merkel paid an official visit to China.
Chinese President Hu Jintao and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao separately met
with Chancellor Angela Merkel. The two sides decided to establish
Sino-German strategic dialogue mechanisms and signed 19 bilateral cooperation
documents.
May 26: The two-day 21st China-EU Human Rights Dialogue Meeting was
concluded in Vienna.
June 6: China and the EU held the second strategic dialogue in Beijing.
July 6: China and the Republic of Montenegro established ambassadorial-level
diplomatic relations.
July 10: The President of the European Parliament, Josep Borrell Fontelles,
kicked off a six-day visit to China. This was thefirst visit by a European
Parliament President to China in 13 years. Chinese President Hu Jintao and
Chairman of China’s NPC Standing Committee, Wu Bangguo, separately met
with Josep Borrell Fontelles.
September 3: Luxembourg’s Grand Duke Duc Henri kicked off a seven-day visit
to China.
September 8: The 2nd China-EU Business Meeting High-level Dialogue Forum
was held in Geneva.
September 9: The 9th China-EU Summit was held in Helsinki, Finland. China
and the EU released a joint declaration and announced the official launch of
negotiations concerning a China-EU partnership and cooperation agreement.
September 12: The EU-China Business Summit was held in Helsinki.
September 13: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao attended the 2nd China-EU Forum
held in Hamburg, Germany, and delivered a speech there.▲Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi paid an official visit to China.
▲ China and the UK signed theMemorandum of Understanding for the
Establishment a China-UK Energy Working Group between the National
Development and Reform Commission of China and UK Trade and Investment.September 14: China and Germany held a regular meeting between the Chinese
Premier and the German Chancellor. The two sides signed 8 agreements,
including theSino-German Youth Exchange Agreement.
September 18: The 5th annual meeting under China-EU Industrial Products
and the WTO/TBT Consultation Mechanism was held at the EU headquarters.Appendix: Chronicle of Events over Ten Years (January, 2003–September, 2013) 235