European Commission President Jose Manuel Durao Barroso said Wednesday in Beijing that China's development is an opportunity to the world, not a threat.

Barroso made the remarks in a meeting with Li Keqiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

Barroso said under the background of globalization, the EU-China relationship has become increasingly important, and it is the EU's strategic goal to develop relations with China, adding the EU is a reliable partner of China.

He expressed his appreciation of China's support for the integration of EU, and his hope that the two sides would strengthen cooperation and jointly face such challenges as climate change and trade imbalance.

Li told Barroso that China has always been supporting EU's development and hopes to see the EU playing an increasing constructive role in international affairs.

He said under the background of the speeding development of world multi-polarization and globalization, there have been more and more common interests between China and EU, and the two sides can seize the opportunity and jointly face challenges, to promote the development of China-EU relations.

He said China is willing to strengthen cooperation with EU, to find new areas for cooperation such as climate change and energy, and at the same time, consider the major concerns of each other, and resolve relevant issues through dialogues and consultations.

Barroso arrived here Tuesday for the 10th China-EU Leaders' Meeting, a bilateral annual consultation mechanism established in 1998.

(Xinhua News Agency November 28, 2007)