On Thursday, President Hu Jintao and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair pledged more efforts to promote Sino-British relations and ties between China and the EU.

They met prior to the informal meeting between Group of Eight (G8) leaders and those of China, Brazil, India, Mexico and South Africa.

Hu extended his congratulations on London's winning the bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games and Blair replied that the 2008 Games will surely be a grand event and that people across the world would hold higher expectations for 2012.

Hu said bilateral ties have shown good momentum in recent years, especially since the announcement of a comprehensive strategic partnership last year. The UK remains the biggest investor in and third largest trading partner of China in the EU.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU and remarkable progress has been achieved in the development of their relationship, Hu said.

The UK now holds the EU presidency and Hu expressed the hope that "substantial achievements" would be made during the China-EU summit, to be held in Beijing later this year.

Hu also said that the aim to lift the arms embargo against China is to eliminate a political barrier hindering the smooth expansion of China-EU relations.

He expressed the hope that the EU would recognize China's market economy status so as to expand bilateral trade and economic cooperation on a fair, just and rational basis.

Hu said he hoped the UK would exert a positive influence so as to facilitate an early resolution of these two issues.

Blair said bilateral ties have been developing smoothly and that he hoped for closer political dialogue and cooperation with China.

He said he looked forward to attending the EU-China summit and would strive to make progress in resolving outstanding issues.

They also exchanged views on the meeting between G8 leaders and those of the five large emergent economies at the summit.

Hu said it had been important for the UK to put international cooperation and climate change on the agenda and he believed the meeting would have a positive effect.

Blair praised China's active participation and said its robust economic growth was vital to the global economy.

Hu arrived in Scotland in the UK on Wednesday, the last leg of his current three-nation tour.

(Xinhua News Agency July 8, 2005)