Dutch King Willem-Alexander (R) and Queen Maxima arrive to attend a conference on connecting the Netherlands and China in Leiden, the Netherlands, on Oct. 1, 2015. Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima, who are to pay their first official state visit to China late October, attended a conference titled "China in the Netherlands" on Thursday that discussed China's presence in the Netherlands at a micro and macro level. (Xinhua/Sylvia Lederer)
THE HAGUE, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- The upcoming state visit of King Willem-Alexander to China is expected to maintain the momentum of the open and pragmatic partnership between the Netherlands and China, said Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Bert Koenders told Chinese journalists in an interview.
The visit of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima to China marks "the very good relationships which has greatly intensified over the past period" and which "as we always called, maybe a little bit because of the mentality in this country, is an open and pragmatic relationship," Koenders told Chinese journalists days ahead of the Dutch royal couple's visit to China scheduled from October 25 to 29.
It will be the first state visit of King Willem-Alexander to China since he ascended the throne on April 30, 2013 when his mother Queen Beatrix abdicated. In March 2014, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to the Netherlands, "which actually by everybody here was seen as highly successful", noted Koenders.
TO WORK TOGETHER IS A NECESSITY
The Netherlands' longstanding relationship with China has been very good, in economy as well as in people-to-people contact through increasing exchanges in politics, culture, education and tourism, commented the Dutch top diplomat.
"We are very much aware of the enormous importance of China in the world," he explained. "I believe in what is called 'the peaceful rise of China'. China is growing economically and socially. I see in terms of environmental positions towards the international talks in Paris actually is positive, and I see the possibility of China and Europe to work together as a necessity."
Koenders cited China's "Belt and Road" initiative, as well as the launching of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), as inspiring ideas to meet the infrastructural needs in the regions. "It shows that the world is changing in terms of international institutions. It is important that we work together to face common challenges in the world, such as equality, climate change, infrastructure deficit, poverty alleviation and regional security."
"We are living in a global world and we have to work on cooperation. I think that is feasible, partly within the institutions that we have in the world, like the United Nations, partly with adaptation towards new institutions, such as the initiatives that are taken in your region," he told Chinese journalists attending a media tour organised by the Dutch government.
The Netherlands is one of the 57 prospective founding members of the AIIB. As for the "Belt and Road" initiative, Koenders mentioned that there are a lot of shared benefits in terms of maritime logistics, port development and road building, and a Dutch national platform is being set up with his ministry to coordinate activities relative to the initiative.
The Dutch minister who had led the United Nations peace missions in Cote d'Ivoire and Mali also drew attention to China's "amazing" contributions to the UN peace-keeping cause. As the biggest contributor of the permanent members of the Security Council, China recently announced another large contribution to the peace-keeping, he noted.
"I have had the pleasure to visit the peacekeeping center in China, just outside of Beijing. I have to say I have an enormous respect for the Chinese peacekeepers," he told Chinese journalists.
LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE ECONOMIC COOPERATION
Koenders will accompany the Dutch royal couple on the visit, leading a parallel extensive trade mission composed of approximately 250 representatives from about 150 Dutch companies. They are looking forward to tapping possibilities of more economic cooperation, especially in areas such as urban development, water management, sustainable energy, agriculture and food, life sciences and health, etc., according to the Dutch minister.
When asked about the China's slowing-down economic growth, Koenders said the economic situation in China is a complex one, but he strongly believed that "China will have continuous sustainable growth levels, at a realistic level".
"I'm sure that also in China there are discussions about what comes from export, what comes from domestic investment and consumption. Change is something for China to be made, but in no case it will change this open and constructive relationship that we can have," he said.
"Since you [China] are an enormously successful growing economy, you have lifted many people out of poverty, so that is an enormous possibility for exchange of contacts in trade and investment," he said. "Both our countries are looking for quantitative but also qualitative growth. we can discuss more in-depth for cooperation and to a certain standard, learn from each other's model."
He added that the Dutch are also very inspired by the large innovation that takes place in China, citing as example the e-commerce represented by Alibaba and Jack Ma "who symbolize Chinese innovation and development".
Many key players from Dutch show-case sectors are on the list of the economic mission to China. There are long-time leaders in agriculture, food and environment, such as Wageningen UR, world class university and research institute in the field of agricultural and environmental science, and GreenQ, global service provider in the field of cultivation and production related knowledge regarding food & flower processes.
Front-runners with innovative products are also eyeing the potential of the Chinese market, such as Motekforce Link, which uses latest motion capturing, robotics and sensor technologies for treatment of movement disorders in clinical rehabilitation, and one2many, pioneer in wireless broadcast for mission-critical communications like Wireless Emergency Alerts enabling governments to warn its citizens for calamities on their mobile phones.
Nowadays, more than 900 Dutch companies are already in China, with approximately 1500 offices and there are about 500 Chinese businesses, many of whom with their European headquarters, in the Netherlands, according to the minister.
"I want to underline, from our side, the open and pragmatic partnership between our countries," he concluded. "We very much hope that we can maintain the momentum of the relationships. If you visit each other often, it is not only because you visit, but you actually do something with it. So there is a follow-up to that. We are looking forward to co-operation in that area."
