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China to seal sweeping deals with Europe

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-09-08 10:39

Beijing - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's European visit will boost China-Europe partnership with the signing of numerous comprehensive deals in a number of trade sectors, a Foreign Ministry official said on Wednesday.

"During the visit, Wen and the European leaders will witness the signing of cooperative deals on trade, investment, energy, education, Olympics and youth exchanges," Li Ruiyu, who is in charge of European Affairs at Foreign Ministry, told a news briefing on Wednesday.

The briefing came ahead of Wen's trip to Finland, the United Kingdom, Germany and Tajikistan from September 9 to 16.

Wen will visit the four countries at the invitations of Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Tajikistan Prime Minister Akil Akilov.

He will meet with leaders of those countries and exchange views with them on bilateral ties and issues of common concern, Li said.

Wen will also attend the ninth China-EU Summit and the sixth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) to be held in Helsinki, capital of Finland.Finland is the current holder of the rotating EU presidency.

The Chinese premier will announce that China will host the seventh ASEM in 2008, Li said.

"Wen's visit will strongly push China-Europe strategic partnership and promote China's ties with Finland, the United Kingdom and Germany," Li said.

The EU is China's biggest trading partner. Trade reached 120.95 billion U.S. dollars in the first half of 2006, a 20.9-percent increase over the same period last year.