STORY: Chinese, European experts call for new cooperation opportunities
SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 29, 2024
DATELINE: March 2, 2024
LENGTH: 00:03:16
LOCATION: Budapest
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the seminar
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): VIKTOR ESZTERHAI, Research fellow at the John Lukacs Institute, Ludovika University of Public Service of Hungary
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Hungarian): JASNA PLEVNIK, Founder and president of the Geoeconomic Forum Croatia
4. various of Budapest city view

STORYLINE:

Chinese and European experts advocated for new cooperation opportunities between China and the European Union (EU) during a recent seminar held in Budapest, Hungary.

Hosted by the China-CEE Institute on Thursday, the seminar titled "China-CEE Cooperation: Prospects and Paths" focused on the evolving dynamics between China, Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs), and the broader EU-China relationship.

Zhao Zhimin, secretary-general of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that despite the context of a sluggish world economy, intensified global turmoil, and increased geopolitical risks, China's economy has resumed growth and is opening up to the outside world. "China and the EU are important strategic partners, and we welcome the EU to share China's large-scale market opportunities and obtain more cooperation opportunities," he added.

Viktor Eszterhai, a research fellow at the John Lukacs Institute, Ludovika University of Public Service of Hungary, underlined the transformative potential of crises such as the Ukraine crisis in reshaping EU-China relations.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): VIKTOR ESZTERHAI, Research fellow at the John Lukacs Institute, Ludovika University of Public Service of Hungary
"The rules of the game which existed for decades are questioned and challenged in recent years. All this kind of crisis provides opportunities at the same time as well. What is necessary now is not to have only this black-and-white view on China.
You cannot simply identify China as a risk, but also as an opportunity."

Jasna Plevnik, founder and president of the Geoeconomic Forum Croatia, praised the achievements of the China-CEE cooperation. Meanwhile, she criticized the EU's increasing reliance on Washington to guide its foreign policy.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): JASNA PLEVNIK, Founder and president of the Geoeconomic Forum
"I think that these (China-EU, China-CEE) cooperation have reached great results and it has in itself its meaning, but it is also important in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative. At the moment, European Union diplomacy has become dangerously dependent on Washington."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Budapest.
(XHTV)