Three EU senior diplomats will discuss with China arms sale embargo, surging textile trade and the Taiwan issue during their upcoming visit to Beijing, which is aimed at furthering the already warm China-EU relations, an official said.  

Ma Keqing, deputy director of the Foreign Ministry's Department of European Affairs, said at a news briefing in Beijing Tuesday that it will be the EU Troika foreign ministers' first official visit to China, an important part of the celebration marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of China-EU diplomatic relations.

The EU Troika foreign ministers, Jean Asselborn, foreign minister of Luxembourg, the rotating EU presidential country, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, external relations commissioner of the EU and a representative of British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, will visit from May 11 to 12.

During the visit, Premier Wen Jiabao and State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan will meet them respectively and Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing will hold talks with them, Ma said.

Ma hailed China-EU relations, saying the two sides have held frequent high-level visits and dialogue at all levels, reached more consensuses on major international and regional issues and witnessed surging trade and economic cooperation.

China-EU trade hit US$177.3 billion in 2004, increasing by 73 times from that in 1975, when China and the European Community first forged diplomatic relations, according to Chinese statistics.

The EU has become China's top trade partner since it expanded to 25 members last May and China is EU's second largest trade partner. This visit will further enrich the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between China and the EU, Ma said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 11, 2005)