On January 17, 2007, Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan met with visiting EU Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner in Ziguangge, Zhongnanhai.

Tang said China-EU relations enjoy sound momentum of development currently, which can be seen in the deeper foundation, expanded area and broad prospect of the ties. China has always attached great importance to its ties with the European Union, Tang said, adding that with the international situation developing and changing continuously, China-EU ties are of greater strategic significance. The two sides are cooperating with each other more closely in major international and regional hotspot issues, and are reaching greater consensus and conducting closer cooperation as they face up to the global challenges. The key to the development of China-EU relations is for both sides to bear in mind the overall development of the ties and build up strategic consensus, Tang said.

He said China attaches great importance to the signing of an agreement on a cooperative partnership with the European Union, which is of great significance to expanding and deepening China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership and will help push the relations to a new high. China hopes the two sides can make active efforts in a constrictive manner and in the principle of equality and mutual benefits, to reach an agreement that will embody the overall situation of the China-EU relations and ensure a long-term, stable and sound development of the relations, Tang added.

Waldner fully agreed with Tang's remarks on the strategic importance of the EU-China relations. She said the bilateral relations are developing in an all-round and in-depth manner at present. China's fast growth and the EU's expansion and changes will provide opportunities for the development of EU-China relations, she said. The European Union is willing to work with China to make unremitting efforts for further development of bilateral relations, she noted.

The two sides also exchanged views on some other regional and international issues including China-Japan relations, the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula and the Iranian nuclear issue.