Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said in Beijing Tuesday afternoon that the just-concluded political consultation between China and the European Union has further enhanced mutual understanding and expanded consensus between the two sides.

In response to a question at the regular press conference, Zhang said that Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Guangya and Assistant Foreign Minister Ma Canrong held political consultations with an EU delegation led by Gerard Errera, deputy secretary-general of the French Foreign Ministry on November 30.

The two sides discussed international and regional issues and China-EU relations, she said.

Both sides agreed to further strengthen and improve the existing political consultations at different levels, expand the areas of political dialogue, deepen bilateral cooperation, and better implement the follow-ups to the third Sino-EU summit, Zhang noted.

She said that the two sides also agreed to enhance cooperation on major international issues, especially on affairs of the United Nations, so as to maintain the spirit and principles of the UN charter and strengthen and improve the authority and role of the Security Council in keeping peace and international security.

The two sides also exchanged views on the integration of the EU, disarmament, the situation in the Balkans and the Korean peninsula, cooperation in preventing illegal immigration, and the human rights dialogue between China and the EU, the spokeswoman said.

(Xinhua 12/05/2000)