I. Political relations

1>Time for establishing diplomatic relations: October 25, 1971

2> After the establishment of the diplomatic relations between Chinaand Belgiumit has witnessed a smooth development of the relations of the two countries. Starting from 1980s onwards, the bilateral visits at high levels began to increase with the state heads of the two countries realized mutual visits. Since 1990s, Chinese leaders who visited Belgium mainly include: Vice Premier Zhu Rongji in April 1991, Vice-premier Qian Qichen in March 1992, Vice-premier Zou Jiahua in September 1993, Chairman of the NPPCC Li Ruihuan in May 1994, Vice-chairman of the NPC Tian Jiyun in April 1996, Secretary Wen Jiabao in June 1996, Vice-premier Li Lanqing in February 1998, Vice-chairman of the NPC Bu He in April 1999, Vice-premier Wu Bangguo in January 2000, Vice-chairwoman of the NPC He Luli in May 2000, Premier Zhu Rongji in July 2000 and in September 2001, and Member of the State Council Simayi Aimaiti in April 2002 and so on. Belgian leaders who visited Chinamainly include: Crown prince Albert in May 1993 and now the king of Belgium, Crown prince Philippe in November 1996 and May 2000, Prime minister Jean-Luc Dehaene in November 1998 and the present Prime minister Guy Verhofstadt in March 2002. In addition, Belgian Deputy prime minister and concurrently minister of finance and foreign trade Maystadt, Minister of foreign affairs Erik Derycke, Speaker of National Assembly Frank Swaelen, Speaker of National Assembly Armand De Decker and Belgian Deputy prime minister and concurrently minister of foreign affairs, foreign trade and international cooperation Luis Michel paid visits to China one following the other.

II. Trade relations and economic and technological cooperation

Belgiumis the sixth major trade partner of Chinain Western Europe. The trade value of the two countries in 2002 came to US$ 4.898 billion, an increase of 15.2 percent as against the same period of the year before, of which the Chinese export took up US$ 2.876 billion, a rise of 13.7 percent over that of the same period while the Chinese import registered US$ 2.022 billion, witnessing a growth of 17.5 percent as against that of the year before. From January to April 2003, the bilateral trade value came to US$ 2.028 billion, a growth of 44.9 percent as compared to the same period before, of which the Chinese export accounted for US$ 1.166 billion, an increase of 41.8 percent and the import made up US$ 0.863 billion, a rise of 49.2 percent. The major imports from Belgiuminto Chinainclude diamond, electric and mechanic equipment, plastic products, weaving and spinning machinery and medical products and so on while the Chinese exports to Belgiummainly include textile goods, garments and electric and mechanic products.

Up to the end of 2002, the Belgian invested projects in China added up to 403 in all with an agreed fund amounting to US$ 908 million but the actual investment was US$ 563 million, most of them being high-tech enterprises. Among them the Shanghai Bell Co. Ltd (recently Belgian side transferred the shares held to ShanghaiAlcatel Group) and Xian-Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd. proved to be the most successful. From January to April 2003, the Belgian invested projects in Chinacame to 17 in all, an increase of 183.33 percent as against the same period with an agreed fund amounting to US$ 33.03 million, a rise of 79.02 percent while the actual investment was US$ 14.12 million, a decrease of 62.38 percent. Belgian R¨¦gion Flamande set up the "Asian Funds", encouraging its enterprises to invest in Asian countries, especially the investment in China.

Up to the end of December 2002, the technological items Chinaintroduced in came to a total of 220 in number with a contracted value of US$ 2.068 billion. From January to April 2003, the technological items Chinaintroduced in numbered 8 in all with a contracted value of US$ 7.061 million, which mainly deal with machinery, urban-construction, textile and automobile industries and post and telecommunications, etc.

This year, Chinahas approved to set up Sino-Swiss fund for direct equity investment and for the moment, the preparatory group is now getting the fund ready for the establishment. The Belgian FORTIS Fund Management Co. under the FORTIS Bank has established a joint-venture securities co. for the fund management together with the Chinese Haitong Securities Co., which entered formally into business in last May.

III. Exchanges and cooperation in the fields of science and technology, culture, education and military affairs

Science and technology: Chinaand Belgiumsigned "Cooperative Agreement for Developing Economy, Industry, Science and Technology" in 1979. The sci-tech cooperation of the two sides mainly has things to do with the following fields of soil improvement, seed-breeding, agro-insecticide, ore-dressing, environment protection, hydrogeology, wind energy, and nuclear energy, etc. Up to now, the two sides have called the 13thmeeting of the mixed commission with more than 200 cooperation items carried out.

Culture: In 1980, the two countries signed the agreement for cultural cooperation. China has held in Belgium such exhibitions as unearthed cultural relics, ethnic national costumes and arts and handicrafts while the exhibitions Belgium held in China include: tapestry, woodcutting, oil-painting and photographs and so on. In September 2002, Chinaheld successfully the Tibetan Cultural Week in Brussels. In November 2002, Belgian French-speaking region Charleroi Dance Troupe attended the 4thInternational Art Festival in Shanghaiand in December Xian Tang Music and Dance Troupe went to Belgiumfor performances.

Education: Sino-Belgian Education Cooperation is mainly carried out with that of the R¨¦gion Flamande. The two sides signed agreements for educational cooperation in 1993 and 1994. The Chinese students now studying in Belgiumcome to 1700 in number while the Belgian students in Chinacome only to more than 200 heads.

Military affairs: In recent years, the mutual visits between the two armies began to increase. Chief of the General Staff Willy Herteleer of the Belgian army visited Chinain 1996. Chief of the General Staff of the PLA Fu Quanyou paid as invited a return visit to Belgiumin 1997. Belgian Minister of national defence Jean-Pol Poncelet visited Chinain the same year. In 1998, the Belgian army chief of staff Roger Maes and Air-force chief of staff Guido Vanhecke paid respective visit to Chinaand in May 2000, Belgian Navy Chief of Staff Michel Verhulst visited Chinaand the same month the Belgian "Wandelaar" guided-missile escort vessel called Shanghai. In March 2001, Chinese commander of air-force Liu Shunyao visited Belgiumand in September, Commander of Nanjing Military Zone Liang Guanglie headed a delegation to visit Belgium. And in October 2002, Belgian Minister of National Defence Andre Flahaut visited China.

The provincial and municipal relationsestablished between the two countries include: Beijing with Brussels Grand Arrondissement, Shanghai with Antwerp, Shaanxi with Antwerp Province, Hunan with Hainaut Province, Fujian with Liege Province, Henan with R¨¦gion Wallonne, Hebei with East Flanders, Jiangsu with Namur, Henan Province with Brussels Arrondissement, Chengdu with Malines, Anyang of Henan with Schaerbeek of Brussels city, Chengde with Vielsalm, Hengyang of Hunan with Tournai, Changsha with Mons, Hanzhong with Turnhout, Anhui Province with Brabant Wallon, and Taizhou of Jiangsu with La Ville D'Huy de la Province de Li¨¨ge.

IV. Important bilateral agreements

"Mutual Beneficial Agreement for Trademark Registration" in 1975, "Sea Transportation Agreement" in April 1975, "Agreement for Developing Economy, Industry, Science and Technological Cooperation" in November 1979, "Government Loan Agreement" in November 1979, "Agreement for Investment Protection" in March 1984, "Agreement for Avoiding Dual Taxation" in 1985, "Agreement for Legal Assistance in Civil Affairs" in November 1987, "Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Driving License" in 1994, "Understanding Memorandum for Environmental Cooperation" in 2002 and "Sino-Belgian Understanding Memorandum for Fund of Direct Equity Investment" in 2002 and so on.
 
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