Poland signs 'strategic partnership' with China

Presidents Komorowski and Hu Jintao: photo - PAP/Jacek Turczyk

"After signing today's declaration with President Hu Jintao, Poland has joined a group of seven EU countries that have relations with China on the level of a strategic partnership,” Komorowski said at a press conference yesterday.

“It is significant in the sense that we are perceived as an important country in the European Union, which itself has special relations with China,” he continued.

Komorowski noted that “strategic partnership” is a term used by the Chinese to denote “a higher level of both political contacts and all interstate relations,” and that it will be “very important” in as far as the two countries can now build on the agreement with “concrete content.”

The Polish president acknowledged to journalists that he had discussed the situation in North Korea following the death of "supreme leader" Kim Jong II on 17 December.

“China underlined its special relationship with North Korea and expressed its conviction that all matters there will go in the right direction,” he said.

Human rights

Komorowski was also asked a question about human rights in China, in the wake of the 16 December announcement that human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng must serve a prison sentence.

The Polish president's response was brief.

“Very important, very important,” he said of the question of human rights.

Meanwhile, Deputy Foreign Minister Jerzy Pomianowski has signed a joint memorandum about the founding of cultural centres in both countries.

President Komorowski, who began his visit on Sunday, will take part in an economic forum on Wednesday, and he will also meet with Prime Minister of China Wu Bangguo. (nh/pg)

Source: PAP