China, EU hold first high-level economic, trade dialogue

BEIJING, April 25 (Xinhua) -- China hopes the EU can recognize China's full market economy status as soon as possible and lift restrictions on exporting high-tech consumer products, a senior Chinese official said here Friday.

The two sides should deepen economic and trade cooperation and promote mutual benefits and joint success, said Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan while co-hosting the first Sino-EU high-level economic and trade dialogue together with EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson.

Wang said the dialogue had injected new dynamics into the development of the strategic partnership between China and the EU.

China and the EU were important cooperation partners and the two sides could conduct cooperation in a wide range of fields, Mandelson said.

China's development was in accordance with both the EU's and world's interest, he noted.

The two sides exchanged views on trade and investment, sustainable development, innovation and technology, consumer protection and product safety and global development.

They also probed deeply into a series of issues, such as energy, intellectual property rights (IPR) and technological cooperation.

The EU praised China's efforts on IPR protection, emission reduction, market opening and safeguarding food safety and product quality.

The two sides agreed to adhere to the principles of fairness and openness, oppose all types of trade protectionism, enhance dialogue and negotiation, promote healthy and steady trade development and realize mutual benefits and joint success.

The EU and China were determined to hold the annual dialogue in turns.