Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said in Ljubljana on Monday that China expects the close cooperation with relevant parties in the European Union to promote the development of Sino-EU relations.

Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the EU troika and China, Yang said that China was willing to contribute to the world peace and sports civilization along with the EU and the two sides should make joint efforts to ensure the success of the Beijing Olympics.

Yang said China stands firmly against the politicizing of the Olympics and appreciates the EU's stand that is against the boycott of the Olympics.

The EU is a major driving force to boost the Asia-Europe cooperation, said Yang, adding that China is ready to cooperate with the EU to successfully carry out the 7th Asia-Europe summit, which will be held in October in Beijing.

As to political dialogues between China and the EU, Yang said China is committed to conducting the bilateral political dialogues of different levels and strive for substantial results out of those dialogues.

The Chinese minister said that the two sides should respect the major concerns of the other side and properly resolve their differences through dialogues and consultations so that the Sino-EU ties would continue developing on a right track.

The EU troika is headed by Dimitrij Rupel, the Slovenian Foreign Minister and President of the EU General Affairs and Foreign Relations Council.

Stressing that the world was facing numerous challenges, Rupel said that constructive solutions required close cooperation while the current challenges "demand a joint response from the EU and China", according to a statement by the Slovenian EU presidency.

Apart from Rupel, the EU delegation included the EU's foreign policy chief Javier Solana and the EU Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the State Secretary in charge of Cooperation and Francophony at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Alain Joyandet, who represents the upcoming French EU presidency in the second half of this year.

Rupel will meet his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi again on Tuesday for a working breakfast before Yang's departure after a less than 24-hour visit.

(Xinhua News Agency June 10, 2008)