BEIJING, April 30 --  The 8th Euro-China Forum was held in the northern port city of Tianjin on Tuesday, the first ever in China. The theme was strengthening cooperation between China and the EU to face global challenges.

    Attendees discussed issues such as business cooperation and the development of the city's Binhai New Area.

    Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder delivered a speech titled "The relationship between the EU and China in the 21st century." And French President Nicolas Sarkozy sent a congratulatory letter.

    Soundbite: David Gosset, founder of the Euro-China Forum: "The 8th Euro-China Forum is just beginning. I think this opening ceremony was the most successful. Beijing is very close, so many entrepreneurs, scholars, diplomats and ambassadors attended the forum, so that it is more comprehensive."

    Schroeder, former French Prime Minister Laurent Fabius, honorary president of the China Europe International Business School Liu Ji, and forum founder David Gosset discussed the topic "The European Union and China in the 21st century."

    The sponsors organized a tour of the Urban Planning Exhibition Center of the Binhai New Area and the Airbus A320 final assembly line.

    Soundbite: Sam Woollard, Marketing Director of Dezan Shira & Associates Group: "We found the forum very interesting, with many high-level foreigners and Chinese. We also think the forum was very interesting, with the chance for us to speak freely."

    The forum was founded in 2002 and was held in six countries in Europe. The Binhai New Area is becoming a new global investment spot, so it was chosen to host this year's forum.

    The forum was organized by the China Europe International Business School and Nankai University.

    Li Zhao Xing, senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of China's National People's Congress, and 200 people from China and the EU also participated in the forum.

    Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Tianjin.

   (Source: XHTV)