China-EU summit opens, trade row lingering (Agencies) Updated: 2005-09-05 13:52 Annual EU-China top-level talks have started in
Beijing, but hopes of taking the relationship to a new high is hindered by a
textile row and the insisting reluctance of some European countries to lift arms
embargo on China.
Chinese President
Hu Jintao (R) meets with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and other EU
officials in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing September 5,
2005. Britain has assumed the EU rotating presidency for the second
half of this year and Blair is in Beijiing for the EU-China summit to open
on Monday. [newsphoto] | British Prime Minister
Tony Blair, the rotating president of EU, is attending the summit. Blair said it
was beneficial to both sides to grow the relationship, the AFP reported.
"Both China and the EU have a shared interest in a deeper and broader
partnership on the range of global challenges that face our peoples," he said in
an interview with the Xinhua news agency. "We are now building upon three
decades of successful cooperation. Our partnership should be about greater
understanding and trust between the EU and China."
Blair's spokesman said that on top of the usual trade-focused agenda, global
political and security issues had been added in the wake of the terrorist
bombings in London which left 56 people dead in July. Human rights issues would
also be discussed.
Aside from the summit, Blair will hold talks with China's top leaders on
Tuesday before heading to India.
Traveling with him are 40-odd top executives from such British and European
companies as Airbus, BP, British American Tobacco, Deutsche Post,
GlaxoSmithKline, Rolls Royce and Royal Dutch Shell.
Also in Beijing are European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and EU
foreign policy chief Javier Solana.
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| | Relief materials from China heading to the US | | | | | Gas burning kills 17 miners in Shanxi | | | | | Blair tries football skills among Chinese kids | | |
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