On January 30, 2009, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao held talks with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Both sides agreed to attach importance to China-EU relations from a global and strategic perspective, holding that under the current international situation, strengthening China-EU cooperation is of great significance to the world. Both sides agreed to hold the 2nd China-EU high-level forum on economy and trade in April this year and the 11th China-EU summit within the year.

Wen told Barroso that China, in its foreign relations, lays a strategic emphasis on developing the comprehensive strategic partnership with the EU and this general direction will not be altered because of a certain incident at a certain time. Promoting cooperation to jointly tide over the current difficulties should be a key task for both sides under current circumstances. The leaders of both sides should enhance dialogue and exchanges and various mechanisms should be closely centered on the key task. To this end, both sides need to trust and respect each other, treat each other equally and aim for mutual benefit, Wen said. In particular, China and the EU should address each other's major concerns and try to stave off disputes so as to avoid damaging the overall situation of China-EU relations, he added. Despite the different social systems, China and EU can coexist in harmony, seek common ground while shelving differences and maintain harmony while allowing for difference. Both sides should learn from and exchange with each other for common development.

Barroso said the EU and China have seen close, deep and fruitful relations, and, as two major forces in the world, many global issues cannot be solved without EU-China cooperation. A sound EU-China relationship is in the interest of both sides and is also conducive to the whole world. The EU is ready to promote dialogue and cooperation with China in the spirit of mutual respect, friendship and candidness to elevate the comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level, he said.

To jointly tackle the global financial crisis, China and the EU reached consensus on strengthening pragmatic cooperation in the following six aspects:

First, expand information exchanges between financial institutions, the central banks and financial supervisory and regulatory bodies to increase capacity for jointly fending off risks. Both sides vowed to work towards equivalence of auditing standards between China and EU.

Second, promote trade and investment. Both sides vowed to promote facilitation and liberalization of trade and investment and encourage mutual investment. China will continue to steadily expand market access and increase import from the EU. China welcomes EU to participate in China’s stimulus plan and hopes that the EU side will further open up its market to China, while the EU recognized China's achievement in promoting market economy. Both sides will accelerate the negotiations on the China-EU Partnership Cooperation Agreement (PCA).

Third, support cooperation between small- and medium-sized businesses. The second China-EU consultation meeting on SME policy will be held in China at appropriate time. China supports EU to establish SME center in China.

Fourth, deepen cooperation in technological innovation in such areas as energy conservation, greenhouse gas emission reduction, life science and health care. China welcomes EU to participate in the adjustment and upgrading of industrial structure in China.

Fifth, work together in mitigating and adapting to climate change. Both sides agreed to boost cooperation in developing new energies, new energy conservation technology and a low-carbon economy and vowed to make the environmental protection industry a new growth point to promote economic development.

Sixth, maintain close coordination in macroeconomic policies and oppose trade protectionism. Both sides pledged to work together for positive progress in the reform of the international financial system and for the attainment of the UN Millennium Development Goals in a bid to promote harmonious and sustainable development of the world.

Following the talks, both sides issued a joint declaration. Wen and Barroso also attended a signing ceremony of several cooperation agreements concerning aviation, work safety, clean energy and intellectual property rights protection. They also attended a joint press conference.

On the same day, Wen also met with Secretary General of the Council of the European Union and High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, exchanging views on China-EU relations, as well as international and regional issues of common concern.