Tang made the remark in his meeting with EU trio foreign ministers, Foreign Minister Anna Lindh of Sweden, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Louis Michel of Belgium, and Commissioner for External Relations Christopher Patten.

Tang said the attendance of EU foreign ministers at the third Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Foreign Ministers' Meeting will add momentum to the sound development of Sino-Europe relations. He said he hoped China and Europe would strengthen cooperation for the success of the meeting.

Tang briefed the guests on China's efforts to promote human rights and protect the human rights and basic freedom of the Chinese people, as well as the continued improvement of human rights in China.

Tang said the China-Europe human rights dialogue has produced positive results.

China will continue to abide by its principled stance of strengthening dialogue and opposing confrontation in the area of human rights, he said.

Lindh expressed appreciation of the progress China made in human rights protection and said that the EU is willing to continue dialogue instead of confrontation with China on the human rights issue.

The two sides also exchanged views on the arrangements for the fourth China-Europe Summit to be held in Brussels in September.

The two sides agreed that the meeting, the highest-level political dialogue between China and Europe, is of vital importance for the all-round growth of bilateral relations.

(Xinhua 05/25/2001)