Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Wednesday held the 11th China-European Union (EU) summit in Prague with Czech President Vaclav Klaus and European Commission President Jose Barroso.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (3rd L), Czech President Vaclav Klaus (2nd R), whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso (3rd R), attend the 11th China-EU Summit in Prague, Czech Republic, May 20, 2009. [Ma Zhancheng/Xinhua]

The Czech Republic now holds the rotating presidency of the EU.

The three leaders, in a frank, practical and friendly atmosphere, thoroughly exchanged views and reached important consensus on how to further develop the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, and jointly deal with the global financial crisis as well as climate change.

Wen said the development of the China-EU relations embodies the mutually beneficial cooperation between the biggest developing country and the biggest bloc of developed countries, and the friendly exchanges between the two major ancient civilizations.

The summit is a frank dialogue between countries with different social systems, which conforms to the historical trend, meets the requirement of the advancing of the times, and benefits the Chinese and European people and the whole international community, he said.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (2nd R) poses together with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso (1st R), Czech President Vaclav Klaus (2nd L), whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana at the 11th China-EU Summit in Prague, Czech Republic, May 20, 2009. [Huang Jingwen/Xinhua]

The common and harmonious development of China and Europe is fundamentally helpful to the world's harmony and sustainable development, the Chinese premier added.

Wen said the core of the China-EU ties lies in their strategic importance, while the bilateral relations are featured with comprehensive substance, and the key to their development is to advance with the times.

Under the current complex and volatile international political and economic situations, China and the EU should stick to the basic principle of strategic partnership, and take the expansion of practical cooperation as a major point, he said.

China and the EU should strengthen confidence, jointly move forward, and push forward the sustainable development of bilateral relations in an in-depth and all-around way, Wen said.