The leaders of the European Union (EU) and the United States pledged Tuesday to continue constructive engagement with China in view of China's greater role on the international stage.

"We will continue our constructive engagement and will encourage China to assume a greater role in helping to tackle issues of global concern," said a declaration adopted at the end of the annual EU-US summit.

"We also encourage greater regional integration as a means for promoting prosperity and stability in East Asia," said the declaration.

The summit, billed as one of the biggest events during Slovenia's six-month stint as holder of the rotating EU presidency, marks the start of US President George W. Bush's five-country Europe tour that will also take him to Berlin, Paris, Rome and London.

Bush, who arrived in Slovenia late Monday on his farewell tour to Europe, met Tuesday morning with Slovenian President Danilo Tuerk and Janez Jansa, who serves as both the Slovenian prime minister and European Council president.

Apart from Jansa, the EU is represented at the summit by European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

(Xinhua News Agency June 11, 2008)