During the first half of 2008 we have achieved the following objectives : the beginning of the high level economic and trade dialogue, further positive steps in Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, successful EU troika Foreign Ministers' meeting with the Chinese minister of foreign affairs and a productive new round of human rights dialogue.

These events have proven that the EU and China have many mutual interests and even when they encounter some differences they are handled in a way which is normal for two strategic partners in a mature stage of bilateral relations.

During the presidency we were faced with some major events – some expected, others unexpected – such as snow disaster, riots in Tibet autonomous region and the neighboring provinces, the Plenary Session of the NPC; Taiwan elections and referenda; the Sichuan earthquake and the preparations for the Olympic Games.

The Wenchuan earthquake was a particularly shocking event because of its power and the numbers of victims. The EU reacted promptly as a whole as did individual countries: initially it was by expressing condolences and sympathy to the Chinese people and at the same time by offering rescue teams and assistance.

The assistance was sent as money donations, rescue teams and equipment. The EU and its member states are already discussing more complex means of assistance for restoring the people's well-being and infrastructure.

What is particularly meaningful is the attitude of the European citizens who expressed strong solidarity with the victims of the disaster and collected different kinds of assistance through their own associations. During this challenging time the Europeans proved that they are close to the Chinese people.

The Slovenian Embassy in Beijing worked intensively to continue and even strengthen close ties with the Chinese public and to make the EU more recognizable. We attended the International Conference on Desertification in Beijing on behalf of the EU; the Troika of the EU ambassadors attended the seminar organized by Institute for European Studies of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: and the annual conference on the Development of Europe 2007-08.

We organized the visit of ambassadors to Jilin province which included: meetings with the representatives of the provincial government, a forum with the participation of Chinese students; a visit to a hospital; a visit to the border area between China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea; a meeting with the representatives of the Korean minority and visits to sites of cultural and historical interest.

In April we organized an event, "Diplomats Running for Peace and Friendship". The objectives of the event were: to promote friendship and cooperation in the diplomatic community in Beijing; to promote knowledge about the EU among the Beijing diplomatic community; to mark the beginning of the last 100 days of the countdown to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and to promote recreation and sports.

Among more than 100 people present 51 embassies participated in the run, among them more than 20 ambassadors. Together with the European Commission we also organized a photo exhibition, Olympic spirit: The Olympics through the Lens of European Photographers.

It is possible to conclude that in spite of some challenges, the EU-China relations remained close and strong in the first half of 2008 and we look forward to the successful Olympic Games in August.

The author is Slovenian ambassador to China

(China Daily July 1, 2008)