China and the European Union are busy dating each other these days.

Chinese embassies to Europe and European embassies in China held an opening day synchronously on May 7 as part of activities of the 2011 EU-China Year of Youth; the second round of China-EU strategic dialogue was held on Thursday here; European Council President Herman Van Rompuy will begin a visit to China on Sunday, his first visit out of Europe as EC president.

The close exchanges on various levels between China and the EU make clear that the joint desire of both sides has been to hold bilateral and multilateral dialogues, enhance communications and coordination, and expand their strategic common views on global issues.

Both China and the EU have confidence and expectations of pushing their bilateral strategic cooperation to a higher level.

For one thing, their confidence and expectations stem from three positive factors in the current international political and economic order.

Though global challenges become more complex and diversified, the international environment generally maintains peaceful and stable momentum. Though still confronted with unstable and uncertain factors, the global economy is maintaining the momentum of recovery. Though various divergences and competition still exist internationally, the world will not abandon its will and willingness of promoting development through cooperation.

The confidence and expectations also stem from the basis of broad cooperation between China and the EU. This year marks the beginning year of China's 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) and the European 2020 Strategy.

The long-term development plans of China and the EU, both aimed at green and sustainable development, will undoubtedly blaze a broader trail for expanding and deepening bilateral practical cooperation.

China and the EU, which are important trading partners, enjoy an enormous amount of cooperation in dealing with the international financial crisis and the rebalancing of the global economy. Just as Markus Ederer, the EU ambassador to China, pointed out, China has given the EU precious support in dealing with the European debt crisis and stabilizing the euro.

The two sides jointly committed to addressing the debt crisis and stabilizing the economy will forge a more solid tie in economic and trade cooperation. That commitment will also push China and the EU economies toward a mutually beneficial and win-win outcome.

Cooperation between China and the EU has constantly expanded in recent years, with negotiations and dialogues in more than 60 fields.

The two sides share similar views on many international issues and maintain close communications and coordination on major international and regional affairs.

China and the EU have cooperated well on some global issues such as the international financial crisis and climate change.

Concerning other issues such as energy, counter-terrorism and food security, the two sides also have the same or similar aspirations, with their prospects for cooperation and communications constantly deepening.

China and the EU established a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2003, a keystone for bilateral relations. Looking toward the future, both sides should make a genuine attempt to advance their partnership.

First, both sides should base themselves on the overall situation and focus on the future in order to view their relations with strategic height, historical depth, and global scale.

Secondly, both sides should be tolerant of each other to boost mutual trust and seek common ground while reserving differences.

They should respect each other's political realities and development path, and properly regard their differences on history and culture, political systems, and development levels.

They should cope well with their different aspirations for some issues and appropriately resolve differences and conflicts in order not to disturb the overall strategic cooperation.

Besides, both sides must be honest and supportive of each other while setting mutual benefits and win-win as an ultimate goal for strategic cooperation.

The relation between China and Europe is not a "zero-sum" game in which one side wanes and the other waxes. Any country or bloc of countries is unable to tackle the global challenges that are increasingly prominent.

Only with increased mutual trust and concerted efforts could China and the EU acquire common development and make their contributions to build a safer and more prosperous world.