March 24: China and the European Atomic Energy Community signed the
Research and Development Cooperation Agreement for the Peaceful Use of
Nuclear Power between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and
the European Atomic Energy Communityin Beijing.
April 24: The European Commission President JoséManuel Barroso kicked off
a two-day official visit to China. The two sides announced the launching of the
China-EU high-level economic and trade dialogue.
April 25: The 1st China-EU high-level economic and trade dialogue was held in
the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The two sides decided to annually hold
this dialogue in China and the EU by turns.
July 1: China and Germany signed the2007 Fiscal Cooperation Agreement
between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government
of the German Federal Republicin Beijing.
October 8: China and the UK signed theGrant Agreement (China’s Rural
Development Program) between the People’s Republic of China and the
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development as Grant Custodian for
the Department for International Development of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Irelandin Beijing.
October 20: Danish Prime Minister Rasmussen attended the 7th Asia-Europe
Meeting in Beijing and paid an official visit to China. During this visit, the two
sides released theJoint Declaration between the Government of the People’s
Republic of China and the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark Concerning
the Establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
November 26: The Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry declared that as the leader
of France, rotating presidency of the EU Council, publicly announced that he
would meet with the Dalai Lama after the China-EU Leaders’Meeting, a good
atmosphere, necessary for China-EU Leaders’ Meeting to take place, was
unavailable and so the desired goal could not be reached. Under these cir-
cumstances, the Chinese side could not but postpone the China-EU Leaders’
Meeting.
November 27: France announced the cancellation of the 5th EU-China
Economic Summit.
December 6: French President Nicolas Sarkozy visited Poland and met with the
Dalai Lama.2009
January 19: China and the EU held the 4th Strategic Dialogue in Beijing.
January 27: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao kicked off his official visit to
Switzerland, Germany, Spain, the UK and the EU headquarters and attended the
World Economic Forum’s 2009 Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.240 Appendix: Chronicle of Events over Ten Years (January, 2003–September, 2013)