China-Poland relations in 2009
2010-10-22 21:51

      The year 2009 marked the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Poland, an occasion for the two countries to review the past and look into the future. The bilateral relations had grown smoothly in general.

      Political relations developed soundly between the two countries. On 6 October, President Hu Jintao, NPC Chairman Wu Bangguo, Premier Wen Jiabao and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi exchanged messages of congratulations with President Lech Kaczynski, Speaker of the Sejm Bronislaw Komorowski, Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Minister of Foreign Affairs Radoslaw Sikorski respectively on the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations. The two sides spoke positively of their traditional friendly relations and stressed their readiness to take the 60th anniversary as an opportunity to advance the China-Poland friendly and cooperative partnership in all fields. CPPCC Vice Chairman Li Zhaozhuo attended the reception marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations jointly hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Polish Embassy in China. Minister of Foreign Affairs Sikorski attended the reception marking the 60th anniversary held in Warsaw by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland. In March, Slawomir Nowak, Special Envoy and Secretary of State at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, came to China and met with Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Hongbo.

      The two foreign ministries maintained their contact. In May, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met with his Plish counterpart Sikorski in Hanoi, Vietnam, while attending the ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting. Also in May, Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Hongbo met with visiting Director-General of the Foreign Service Rafal Wisniewski. In November, Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun met with visiting Under-Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andrzej Kremer.

      The bilateral economic cooperation and trade grew steadily. Despite the slight drop in bilateral trade due to the international financial crisis, Poland remains China's largest trading partner in Central and Eastern Europe. Business communities of the two countries had frequent exchange of visit and the two-way investment increased.

      Military-to-military relations made headway and senior military leaders maintained regular contact. General Li Ji'nai, Member of the Central Military Commission and Chief of the General Political Department of PLA, visited Poland in August. In December, Minister of National Defense Bogdan Klich visited China. During his visit, the two defense department signed defense cooperation agreements.

      Cooperation in infrastructure development continued to be enhanced. In June, Minister of Infrastructure Cezary Grabarczyk visited China and exchanged views with China on deepening the bilateral infrastructure cooperation and inviting Chinese enterprises to participate in the development of transport infrastructure in Poland.

      Cooperation in culture, education, science, technology, agriculture, energy, environment protection and other areas was deepened and exchanges between localities became more dynamic. A China cultural festival was held in Poland in September. Confucius Institutes at Jagiellonian University in Cracow, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Opole University of Technology and University of Wroclaw were operating normally and preparations for the Confucius Institute at University of Gdansk were making smooth headway. There were 15 pairs of twin provinces and cities between the two countries, with increasingly frequent mutual visits and substantial cooperation.