On March 8 and 9, 2004, Zhang Yesui, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of China visited headquarters of the European Union (EU) at the latter's invitation. Vice Minister Zhang met respectively with Mr. Javier Solana, Secretary-General of the Council of the EU and High Representative for the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), and Mr. Christopher Patten, EU's External Relations Commissioner. Vice Minister Zhang also held political consultations with Robert Cooper, Director-General for External Relations of the Council of the EU and Eneko Landaburu, Director-General for External Relations of the European Commission. In addition, he also held dialogue with the EU's Political and Security Committee (PSC, or COPS as it is known by its French acronym). The two sides agreed that it is in the interests of both China and the EU as well as world peace, stability and development that the two sides expand and deepen their cooperation in all fields, enhance communication and coordination in international affairs and push the comprehensive China-EU partnership towards further development. The two sides also exchanged views extensively on international and regional issues of common concern in an in-depth manner.

Guan Chengyuan, Head of Chinese Mission to the EU and Ambassador of China to Belgium attended the meetings and consultations.