Prime

Hu embraces Europe

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-11-04 07:58

BEIJING - Chinese President Hu Jintao said on Tuesday said that China attaches great importance to its relations with Europe and wants to strengthen ties with the region.

In an interview with France's Le Figaro newspaper and Portugal's Lusa News Agency, President Hu, due to visit the two countries on Nov 4-7, answered questions regarding the development of relations and other issues.

The Chinese president said Beijing and Europe currently enjoyed close, top-level communication and fruitful cooperation.

The European Union (EU) had been China's largest trading partner for six consecutive years, and China has become the EU's second-largest export market, with bilateral trade volume in the first three quarters close to $350 billion - a year-on-year increase of 34.4 percent, he said.

China respects and supports the integration of Europe. Likewise, China hopes Europe will take a positive view of China's development, and respect and support China in taking a path of development that suited its own national conditions, the Chinese president said.

The two sides are supposed to respect and consider each other's core interests and major concerns, he said.