Ambassador: Slovenia aware of sensitivity of cross-strait relations

BEIJING, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Slovenian ambassador to China, Marjan Cencen, reaffirmed the adherence by Slovenia and the European Union (EU) to the one-China policy.

"We fully understand the sensitivity of that question and are glad to see relations among people across the Taiwan Strait constantly strengthen, with trade growing as well," he said during an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

Slovenia took over the EU rotating presidency from Portugal on Jan. 1 and will chair the EU for six months.

Cencen said that EU-China relations had entered a mature phase, which meant that "we can now talk more openly about important topics of mutual concern."

He said that the Slovenian policy on China would follow the established orientation of the EU-China comprehensive strategic partnership, recently confirmed by the Joint Statement of the 10thEU-China Summit, which was held in Beijing on Nov. 28, 2007.

Slovenia will work to strengthen the EU's cooperation with China in political exchange, trade, climate change, energy, major international topics such as the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula or cooperation with Africa, and preparation for the Olympic Games, Cencen said.

It would also encourage the beginning of the "High-Level Economic and Trade Dialogue" between the EU Commission and State Council of China at the level of vice-premier by the end of March and enhance dialogue on monetary and exchange rate issues.

He said that Slovenia would actively support improved bilateral trade and investment relations between the EU and China.

"The EU does not require fewer Chinese exports to Europe, but we would like to see a more open Chinese market," he said.

Cencen praised the progress China had made on the human rights issue.

"The EU and China have a regular mechanism, the Human Rights Dialogue, with a pertinent seminar, and we can say that this is one of the positive developments," he said.