European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the emerging European External Action Service (EEAS) will benefit EU-China cooperation and continue to foster the close bilateral ties established in the past five years.

On April 29, Barroso will embark on his first trip to China since the start of the new commission. Leading a high-level delegation of commissioners including the Vice-President of the European Commission and High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton, he will go first to Beijing, then to Shanghai for the opening ceremony of the Shanghai World Expo 2010.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua on the eve of his visit, Barroso said the EU's current foreign policy concerning China, based on mutual respect and friendly relations, has been consistent and will continue under the EEAS, which is being set up by Ashton.

EEAS benefits bilateral ties

According to Barroso, the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty will make European foreign policy more coherent, faster in response and stronger thanks to the support of the EEAS, whose objective is to better coordinate the EU's foreign policy so that the bloc can become a stronger partner to other countries including China.

The objective of the EU's reform under the Lisbon Treaty is "to speak with one voice" so as to play a role in the global foreign policy setting commensurate to its economic weight, and to have a stronger position than the combined weight of individual member states has been given today.

"This will open up many opportunities to increase our cooperation with China across the board, not least in addressing global challenges," Barroso said, citing climate change, environmental protection, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, energy security and poverty alleviation in Africa.

These issues require that the EU work closer with China under the new diplomatic system, he said, adding "the same is true on the bilateral side."