The second round of China-European Union strategic dialogue was held in Budapest, Hungary, on Thursday with two sides having exchanged views on a wide range of issues.

Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo (R, front) shakes hands with Catherine Ashton (L, front), high representative for foreign affairs and security policy and vice president of the European Commission, at the venue of the second round of China-EU strategic dialogue, in Godollo, some 30 kilometers away from Budapest, Hungary, May 12, 2011. [Attila Volgyi/Xinhua]

After the dialogue, Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo told reporters that the latest China-EU dialogue was "comprehensive, productive and candid."

He said it is very necessary for China and the EU to have discussions and communication. He hoped that the further cooperation between two sides will become an example in the field of international cooperation.

EU's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton thanked China for its "continued involvement" in European sovereign bond markets shortly before she held the dialogue with Dai in Hungary, the current holders of the EU presidency, and spoke highly of China's role in world affairs.

"China and Europe are key players in international relations and China's emergence on the global stage is extremely impressive," she said, noting that "the Strategic Dialogue is an essential part of the post-Lisbon relationship between the EU and China," a Xinhua report said.

The meeting between Ashton and Dai is a prelude to the visit by President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy to China on May 15-19. It will be his first visit to China since he took office at the beginning of last year, China Daily said.

Dai and Vice Premier Wang Qishan just concluded a two-day China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Washington on Tuesday. The talks with the US and the EU provide an opportunity to compare notes before the G8 Summit in France later this month, according to China Daily.

The first round of the China-EU dialogue was held in southwest China's Guizhou province last September. The third round is also scheduled to be held in China.