China pledges 'active support' to debt-stricken Europe
Hu Jintao - Photo EU Council
(VIENNA) - China pledged "active support" to debt-stricken Europe and said it was "convinced" the EU could work through its current debt crisis, as President Hu Jintao visited Vienna on Monday ahead of a G20 meeting.
"All countries sit in the same boat. We have to stick together, so that Europe can recover," China's trade minister Chen Deming, who was traveling with Hu, was quoted as saying by the Austria Press Agency.
He also hinted at investments from Beijing at an Austrian-Chinese economic forum in Vienna, without specifying whether these would go into the EU's debt rescue fund.
Earlier, Hu told journalists after talks with Austrian President Heinz Fischer that China "is convinced Europe has the wisdom and the competency to overcome the current difficulties."
"We are closely following the economic developments," he said, speaking through an interpreter.
Hu's two-day state visit to Austria marks 40 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
But the trip, Hu's second to Europe in a year, also comes as the region is struggling with a spiralling debt crisis and amid hopes that Beijing might invest in its bailout fund.
After his Austrian visit, Hu will travel Wednesday to the French resort of Cannes to attend a G20 meeting of world leaders on Thursday and Friday.
Last week, European leaders appealed to China to invest in the region's European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) to help it overcome the debt crisis.
Klaus Regling, the head of the bailout fund, also travelled to Beijing to strike a deal with the world's second-largest economy, reportedly seeking a pledge of $100 billion (71 billion euros).
However, Beijing has officially remained non-committal about its involvement, and Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao played down hopes of a breakthrough at the G20 meeting, insisting that investment in the European bailout fund was not on the agenda.
In Monday's talks, Fischer and Hu discussed the upcoming G20 meeting, as well as bilateral economic and cultural ties, Fischer told journalists.
Hinting at Europe's debt crisis, he noted that the Chinese president's visit "comes at a time of great significance for China as well as Europe and Austria, where important decisions are needed and where the partnership between China and Europe is especially important."
Fischer said he had also brought up the question of human rights, without elaborating.
On Monday, a pro-Tibetan protester was jostled by pro-China demonstrators who tried to snatch her Tibetan flag, witnesses said.
The Tibetan community in Austria had planned several small protests during Hu's visit both in Vienna and Salzburg.
Tight security was in place meanwhile and parts of the city centre were also to be shut down.
Hu and his wife Liu Yongqing arrived in Vienna on Sunday evening for a visit combining business and sightseeing.
The official part of the visit began Monday as Hu held talks with Fischer and the two oversaw the signing of seven bilateral agreements in areas like energy efficiency, environmental protection, hydropower and cultural exchanges.
Hu and his wife were received with full military honours at the former Imperial Palace (Hofburg), the seat of the presidency, by Fischer and his wife Margit.
Later, a state banquet and meetings with Chancellor Werner Faymann and parliament speaker Barbara Prammer were planned.
Tuesday will be dedicated to sightseeing, with a visit to the scenic Salzkammergut region, a short lake cruise in St Gilgen and a classical concert at the former Salzburg home of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Hu's visit to Austria, only the second by a Chinese president after Jiang Zemin in 1999, follows an invitation by Fischer, who travelled to Beijing last year.
Foreign trade between the two countries amounted to 8.2 billion euros in 2010, and Fischer said Monday he hoped it would double within the next five years.
China, which reportedly sent a 160-strong delegation to accompany Hu, is especially keen on Austrian know-how in areas like infrastructure, transportation and environmental technology.
Vienna has meanwhile sent a stream of ministers to Beijing this year for talks and business deals, including Chancellor Faymann and Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger, who also made a point of meeting political activists such as artist Ai Weiwei.