Premier Wen Jiabao returned to Beijing Thursday after concluding an official five-country European visit, which is believed to vigorously push forward bilateral ties between China and European countries and the Sino-EU relationship as a whole.

"Starting on May 2, when most Chinese citizens began to enjoy the week-long May Day vacations, Premier Wen kicked off his Asian and European tour to Germany, Belgium and the EU headquarters, Italy, Britain and Ireland in 11 days," said Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.

Li is a member of Wen's delegation, and made the comments on Wednesday in Dublin when summing up the premier's visit for reporters.

Wen participated in a total of 97 meetings, talks and different gatherings concerning predominantly bilateral and international issues, Li said.

Coming only one day after the EU's largest enlargement on May 1, Wen's visit to Europe indicated that China attached great importance to Sino-EU relations, Li said.

Analysts said Wen's visit is aimed at improving Sino-EU relations as well as facing challenges side by side.

Delivering a speech about pushing forward the strategic partnership with the EU in Brussels, Wen said the partnership between China and EU will be far-reaching and multi-faceted as well as going beyond the differences of social ideologies and systems without aiming at any third parties.

The premier said the enlargement of EU will be good for the prosperity and stability of the union and would bring forth fresh opportunities for Sino-EU relations.

To consolidate the all-around strategic partnership between China and the EU, China signed joint declarations to this end with Germany, Britain and Italy as well as inking a joint communiqué with the EU, which will push forward bilateral relations as well as certaining the preferential fields for trade partnerships in the future, Li said.

EU leaders praised Wen's visit, saying that the EU-China relationship has entered the best period in history. European Commission President Romano Prodi said China and the EU will become the world's largest trading and investment partners in near future.

Wen's visit also strengthened the bilateral cooperative systems between China and the five nations, Li said.

On the one hand, China and Germany, Britain and Italy have agreed to enhance their bilateral relationship to all-around strategic partnership level, Li said. On the other hand, different mechanisms will be established to turn cooperation principles into actions.

Wen also visited several enterprises, universities and high-tech parks in these countries, meeting people from all walks of life especially from economic circles, Li said. Discussing China's economic situation and the current problems it faces, Premier Wen noted that China and the EU should enlarge economic and trade cooperation through tapping the great potential in place, enhancing high-tech coordination and promoting partnerships between small and medium-sized firms.

He also encouraged entrepreneurs from the two sides to carry forward the pioneering spirit of Marco Polo in initiating their businesses and set up a dialogue mechanism to deal with trade and economic friction.

All the nations Wen visited have promised to push the EU to give China complete market economy status, said the foreign minister.

During the visit, China and the EU nations signed 15 bilateral cooperation agreements and memorandums of understanding, 56 trading contracts and 26 joint venture deals and a batch of coordination intent letters, of which the total funds involved would reach billions of US dollars, according to the foreign minister.

Wen's visit also highlighted educational and cultural cooperation, Li said. Exchanges on education and technology served as the foundation for today's Sino-EU friendship as well as representing the future, the premier said. To this end, the two sides should adopt cross-cultural and personnel exchanges of youths into the framework of bilateral relations.

Moreover, increasing efforts are being urged to strengthen partnership in the fields of education, science, academy, journalism, arts, films and TV, sports and tourism, Wen said. Informal talks were arranged during Wen's visit, in which Wen and educational and technological experts exchanged views.

(China Daily May 14, 2004)