China has called for the EU to recognize its market economy status soon, said Yao Jian, spokesman for China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) in Beijing on Friday.

China's Commerce Minister Chen Deming will attend the 11th China-EU Summit in Prague in the Czech Republic next week, Yao said.

The summit will address China's desire to be recognized as full market economy by the EU soon, the limitation on high-tech exports to China from the EU and bilateral economic cooperation, Yao said.

China need not be recognized by any country in terms of market economy as a concept, but market economy status is a technicality that will help China receive fair treatment in anti-dumping investigations, Yao said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 16, 2009)