” “"The European Union and China have to face very similar challenges in the areas of employment and welfare policies, from the creation of safe workplace to social changes, including the ageing of the population". Vladimir Spidla, EU Commissioner for employment and social affairs, left Brussels this morning for Peking, where for three days he will have meetings with the institutional and economic leaders of the Asian country, "to strengthen cooperation" in the areas that are under his province. In addition, one of the goals of his journey is to sign the "memorandum of understanding", which "establishes a structured dialogue with the Chinese Academy of Social Science on future strategic challenges in such areas as professions, social security, demography". "I am glad to strengthen a dialogue which is already going on about such crucial issues, which concern millions of people in China and Europe", not least to "find the best ways to face them". On January 15th, Spidla will open a workshop in Shanghai which "will investigate how to best respond to the structural changes that are connected with the ageing of the population" of the EU and China.” “
