China kicks off fourth plenum: "Europe needs to find common ground with China"

CGTN Europe interviewed Mr Kristian Ivanov Vigenin, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria.

Transcript

00:00So what should the rest of the world make of China's plans?

00:05Christian Vigin is Bulgaria's former Minister of Foreign Affairs.

00:10Well, we follow with great interest the decisions of this plenum

00:14because we know very well that unlike in some other countries

00:18and unlike sometimes in the European Union,

00:21decisions that are taken at the plenums, then they are being implemented.

00:25And the goals that are being set for China, everything is being done in order to fulfill them.

00:31So really, we expect the decisions with great interest here in Europe.

00:37The interesting thing about this plenum, as opposed to the previous plenums,

00:41which have also obviously been enormously significant,

00:44is the world has changed massively, hasn't it?

00:46I mean, you have the United States, China, trade tensions, this possible Xi-Trump meeting.

00:52I wonder how might those dynamics shape China's economic planning?

01:00Well, we understand very well that a lot of things have changed in the recent months.

01:07And it's not only regarding foreign policy, regarding security,

01:12but especially with regard to the trade relations.

01:15From that point of view, we are already seeing a shifting of trade currency,

01:23if I may say so, to different parts of the world.

01:27And it was interesting for me to see, for example, that in the past month,

01:32the trade import from China has increased by 14% in the European Union.

01:39It's something that we have expected.

01:40From that point of view, the decisions that are going to be taken today are very important for us here as well.

01:48The big question is, will we be able, I mean, on the side of the EU and China,

01:55work together on some issues so that we can defend together the free trade,

02:00if we can defend the international law, the law-based order.

02:05And if we can do that, then I'm sure we can find solutions also to other issues

02:14that are a matter of controversies quite often between the EU and China.

02:20You've been in the front line of European government.

02:23I mean, from your experience as Bulgaria's former foreign minister,

02:27how should the EU interpret China's five-year plan?

02:31Is this a commercial opportunity?

02:33Is it a strategic challenge or both?

02:39It depends on our ability to really interpret and adapt to the policies

02:47that are being implemented in China.

02:49I'm sure that having this plan in front of us, once it is adopted,

02:54we will be able, on one hand, to clearly see the direction of China's policy,

02:59but on the other hand, to be able to adapt our own strategies regarding the global trade,

03:06but also especially towards the relations with China.

03:10Once again, my vision, my idea is that we need to find common ground

03:16because there are many things in common and they should not become victims of controversies

03:23controversies that are of lower importance to the world and to our both regions.