On September 6, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, who was accompanying Premier Zhu Rongji to attend the fourth China-EU Summit, met with EU Commissioner for External Relations Patten in Brussels.

Tang said that the fourth China-EU summit was a successful one and the Chinese side is satisfied with its results and appreciated the efforts made by the EU side for the summit. The wide-ranging consensus reached and a number of important decisions made at the summit by leaders of both sides will lay a solid political foundation for the further consolidation and strengthening of their friendly cooperation in various fields. The Chinese foreign ministry and other relevant institutions are willing to cooperate closely with the EU side in the follow-up actions of the summit. At the present, both sides should focus on the following tasks:

––improving the mechanism of regular summit of China and EU leaders, promoting high-level visits and the exchanges of personnel, in a bid to enhance mutual understanding;

––expanding and improving the mechanisms of dialogue and consultations at all levels, to further deepen relations and increase mutual trust;

––deepening cooperation in the fields of trade, culture, education and etc;

––and resolving disputes properly through dialogue on an equal footing and the basis of mutual respect and seeking common ground while putting aside differences.

Patten said the EU-China Summit fully demonstrated the spirit of friendly cooperation. Both sides are dedicated to developing extensive and in-depth cooperative relations and have made concrete steps of cooperation. The EU side is willing to work on the tasks in all the fields mentioned in the Joint Press Statement of the Fourth China-EU Summit issued this time. The EU attaches great importance to the quality of its cooperative projects with China and will work for accelerated implementation of them.

Tang also briefed Patten on President Jiang Zemin's visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Patten appreciated the positive role played by China in maintaining peace and stability and promoting prosperity and development on the Korean Peninsula. Patten also said that the EU will continue to improve relations with DPRK and actively promote the reconciliation of the two sides on the peninsula.