Yang Jiechi (R) shakes hands with Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt on November 29.

Yang Jiechi (R) shakes hands with EU Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner on November 29.

Yang Jiechi (R) shakes hands with Spanish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Angel Lossada Torres-Quebedo on November 29.

On November 29, 2009, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met with Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, EU Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Spanish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Angel Lossada Torres-Quebedo, whose country will hold the EU's rotating presidency for the first half of 2010.

Yang spoke highly of the sound development of China-EU relations. The EU integration is progressing rapidly as the Lisbon Treaty will soon take effect, and China will take this opportunity to further promote the development of its comprehensive strategic partnership with the EU, Yang said. The 12th China-EU Summit is to be held tomorrow. He believed that with the joint efforts of both sides, the summit will yield positive outcome and chart the course for China-EU cooperation under the new situation.

The EU side noted that the EU highly values its relations with China. The deepening EU integration will better push forward EU-China comprehensive strategic partnership. The EU would like to strengthen political dialogue and trade and economic cooperation with China, and maintain communication and coordination on such major issues as global financial crisis, climate change, energy security and non-proliferation, they said.

Both sides also exchanged views on the G20 mechanism and regional issues.

Later, Yang also met with Spanish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Angel Lossada Torres-Quebedo, exchanging views on the development of China-Spain, China-EU relations.