Italy is prone to EU's lifting of arms sales embargo against
China, said visiting Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi in Beijing
on Monday.
Prodi made the remarks at a meeting with the press after holding
official talks with Premier Wen Jiabao.
This year marks the China-Italy year that involves a wide range
of activities on trade, culture and science. The Italian prime
minister is accompanied with a huge business delegation of about
700 entrepreneurs in finance, industry and trade.
The Italian prime minister started his six-day official visit to
China on September 13 that also took to the port city of Tianjin,
the eastern city of Nanjing as well as Shanghai and Guangzhou.
The EU enacted its arms embargo on China after the events of
1989. China considers the embargo a barrier to the smooth
development of normal relations between China and the EU, both of
whom have vowed to deepen a strategic partnership.
Premier Wen called on the European side to make correct
political resolution independently for lifting arms ban against
China after the ninth China-EU Summit held in Finland on September
9 this year.
Wen said lifting arms embargo against China "could wipe out
barriers amidst the growth of Sino-European ties" and "comply with
Europe's own interests."
Prodi also touched upon the issue of China's full market economy
status. He said the issue should be resolved at "an earlier date"
and not be delayed any further.
(Xinhua News Agency September 18, 2006)
