Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said in New York on Thursday that China and the European Union should work together to further promote the cooperation between the two sides and ensure the success of the upcoming Seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and the 11th China-EU Summit.

At a meeting with foreign ministers of the EU "troika", held on the sidelines of the 63rd session of the United Nations General Assembly, Yang said both sides should properly handle their differences, respect each other's major concerns, strengthen people-to-people exchanges and understanding so as to enhance public support for stronger China-Europe ties.

The EU ministers indicated that European Union attaches importance to the role and influence of China in international affairs, and stands ready to advance its ties with China through deepening cooperation in various fields.

The foreign ministers of the EU "troika" are Bernard Kouchner of France, which holds the rotating EU presidency, Karel Schwarzenberg of the Czech Republic, which will hold the next EU presidency, and Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the European commissioner for external relations.

The seventh ASEM summit will be held in Beijing on October 24-25. The theme of the summit is "Vision and Action – Towards a Win-Win Solution." The 11th China-EU Summit is scheduled to take place in Lyon, France, in November.

(Xinhua News Agency September 27, 2008)