China, Poland to double trade

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao pledged at landmark talks in Warsaw on Wednesday to double bilateral trade turnover with Poland in the next five years. During a historic two-day visit, the first in 25 years by a Chinese premier, Wen praised Poland for its economic resilience during the global economic crisis and the eurozone debt debacle battering several European Union partners. Wen said bilateral efforts were focused on doubling trade turnover within five years. In 2011, this was valued at 14.55 billion euros ($19.18 billion), up from 12.7 billion euros ($16.7 billion) in 2010, according to Polish figures. "Poland has maintained stability and development and has secured 20th spot in ranking of global economies," Wen told reporters alongside his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk. Quoting a Chinese newspaper, Polish media said Wen would announce a billion-euro ($1.3 billion) Chinese investment fund for Central Europe at a major trade summit Thursday. Warsaw analysts insist the Chinese are eager to capitalise the region's stability, growth and competitive prices to gain "perfect access to the West European market" -- still Beijing's top export destination. Poland's Industrial Development Agency on Wednesday signed a letter of intent with the Bank of China, due to open a branch in Poland focused on Chinese investment. Poland, a Central European country of 38 million which in 1989 spearheaded the demise of communism in the Soviet bloc, joined the EU and NATO in 2004. In recent years, it has topped the 27-nation EU's growth charts and was the only member to have posted continued growth. Both holding large shale gas deposits, China and Poland also agreed to "exchange experience" in its exploration and extraction. The leaders also discussed the rule of law and human rights, officials said. With his political roots in Poland's anti-communist Solidarity democratic opposition, Tusk said his country's experience "indicates that building a modern state and civil society is very much connected to protecting civil rights and freedoms." Wen said Beijing was "striving not only for economic development, but also (for) the construction of the rule of law and human rights." Two dozen free-Tibet protesters rallied in front of government buildings in central Warsaw as the talks were underway. The Chinese prime minister later met with Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski, who visited China in late 2011. Warsaw analysts insist the Chinese are eager to capitalise the region