Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met in Beijing Friday with European Commission President Jose Manuel Durao Barroso who is in Beijing to attend the seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).

Wen said the comprehensive partnership of strategic cooperation between China and EU was of great importance to the world's peace and development.

He said China respected the important role the EU played on the world stage, and was willing to enhance coordination with the EU in major regional and international issues on the basis of mutual respect and trust.

According to Wen, China and the EU could collaborate in a wide range of fields, but currently should focus on economic and trade cooperation to sustain economic growth of both sides and jointly overcome the global financial crisis.

He also urged the two parties to strengthen dialogue on politics and legal systems and put aside differences and achieve harmony which benefits both sides.

Wen said this year's ASEM was held against the backdrop of a spreading global financial crisis, and that China was willing to cooperate closely with the EU to push forward a fruitful meeting.

He said Asian and European countries should send a positive message to the world through the ASEM that we had the confidence and determination to maintain financial and economic stability through cooperation.

Barroso also said the EU was willing to further strengthen the comprehensive partnership of strategic cooperation between China and EU to tackle the challenges brought by the global financial crisis and climate change, on the basis of mutual understanding and respect.

He said the EU was looking forward to further exchanging opinions on major international issues with Chinese leaders in the upcoming 11th China-EU Summit later this year, and hoped the two sides would make more achievements in their dialogue on bilateral trade.

Barroso said China was an important stablizing factor in the global economy and had played a responsible role in dealing with the global financial crisis.

The EU was willing to strengthen communication with China and other countries through this year's ASEM, to make joint efforts to protect the stability of the global financial market and maintain the healthy development of the global economy, he said.

The EU had always been a supporter of free and open trade and opposed trade protectionism taking advantage of the current situation, he added.

(Xinhua News Agency October 24, 2008)