Assistant Foreign Minister Li Hui met with visiting European Union's Special Representative for Central Asia Pierre Morel on February 25, 2008. Both sides exchanged opinions on such issues as China-EU relations, situation in Central Asia, China and EU's relations with Central Asia and Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Li said that the relations between China and the EU enjoy a sound momentum of development with frequent bilateral high-level exchanges, deepening political dialogue at various levels and increasing strategic common consensus. China and the EU hold identical interest and concerns in Central Asia and attach great importance to expanding friendly exchanges and cooperation with Central Asian countries. China expects to strengthen coordination and communications with the EU to maintain political stability, promote the social and economic progress, resolutely crack down on the "three forces" in the region and make due contributions to building Central Asia into a harmonious region with lasting peace and common prosperity.

Morel noted that the EU has conducted active dialogue and cooperation with Central Asian countries in the fields of politics, economy, trade and security. The EU is glad to see that China maintains sound cooperative relations with Central Asian countries, admires China's efforts of promoting stability and development in Central Asia and is willing to enhance communications and coordination with China on the issue of Central Asia and play its due role of pushing for stability and development in the region.

On the same day, Director-General Cheng Guoping of the Department of European-Central Asian Affairs of the Foreign Ministry held consultations with Morel on the issue of Central Asia and the SCO.