Vice Premier Wang Qishan left Beijing Wednesday for the second Sino-European Union (EU) high-level trade and economic dialogue in Brussels on May 7 and 8, and to pay an official visit to Britain from May 8 to 12 at the invitation of British Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling.

Wang will co-chair the dialogue with Catherine Ashton, EU Trade Commissioner and personal representative of the European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, said Jiang Yu, spokeswoman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

They would discuss economic and trade cooperation, focusing on promoting business opportunities and economic stimulation by opening trade and investment, she added.

During his visit to Britain, Wang and Darling will co-chair the second of Sino-British financial and economic dialogue.

(Xinhua News Agency May 6, 2009)