Dr Evans Fanoulis, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University Assistant Professor in 
International Relations, will refer to the EU's climate change actions during 
his presentation on the EU's innovation priorities at the 3rd Global Summit on 
Manufacturing Outsourcing in Changchun, China, 19-20 July.

"China and EU have so far developed joint projects and synergies regarding 
climate change, pollution and the environment," Dr Fanoulis says. "There are 
joint ministerial and high-level dialogues devoted to climate change and 
environmental issues within the framework of the EU-China strategic 
partnership. There is considerable cooperation on these crucial issues.

"Both sides are keen on working together regarding global climate governance. 
To this end, China and EU have agreed to jointly commit to the Paris Agreement 
on climate change."

EU's collaboration with China on innovation was particularly emphasized in the 
2020 Strategic Agenda, a 2013 agreement between the two partners establishing 
synergies in different policy areas.

"Within the context of the EU-China strategic partnership, the EU has already 
funded projects on research, innovation and scientific development," Dr 
Fanoulis says.

"My hunch is that the EU and China will keep on working closely and devise 
innovative solutions to problems like climate change and further explore 
collaborative initiatives in other fields, such as education and public health, 
also due to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis."

In his presentation, Dr Fanoulis will also refer to the EU's trade and 
industrial policies, the EU's investment on research and innovation and the 
EU-China collaboration in other key areas.

China and the European Union have productively collaborated in recent years, 
with focus on food and agricultural products, water management, health, 
education, disaster risk management, climate change and environmental 
protection.

Now, climate and environmental policy will come to the forefront given the EU's 
14 July announcement of its sweeping "Fit for 55" plan to reduce net greenhouse 
gas emissions. The plan released by the European Commission, the EU's executive 
body, details how the 27 EU countries can meet a collective goal to reduce net 
greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 by 55% of 1990 levels. The ultimate 
goal—net-zero emissions by 2050.

The summit is sponsored by the Changchun and Jilin province authorities and 
partners include the World Trade Organisation, the United Nations Industrial 
Development Organisation (UNIDO), the United Nations Development Programme 
(UNDP), Volkswagen, BMW, Pfizer, and Baidu.

SOURCE  Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University