China expects the ninth Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers' Meeting to send to the world a strong signal of Asia-Europe bonds on tackling global downturn, said a Foreign Ministry spokesman on Tuesday.

Spokesman Ma Zhaoxu told a regular press briefing that China attaches great importance to the meeting, and will send a high-profile delegation for it.

The ninth meeting, slated for May 25-26 in Hanoi of Vietnam, will focus on measures to deepen Asia-Europe partnership and address the global financial crisis as well as other global challenges.

"We hope the meeting would help turn the documentary achievements of the ASEM and its follow-up proposals into practice, further enhance trust and cooperation between the two continents, and push forward Asia-Europe partnership," Ma said.

The meeting is the first gathering of foreign ministers and delegations from 45 ASEM members, according to the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry.

(Xinhua News Agency May 12, 2009)