Business-minded mainland and EU leaders were probably relieved to have been spared an awkward stand-off over Tibet and human rights issues yesterday, and to be able to share positive outlooks for economic discussions of unprecedented depth and breadth.
Flanked by a delegation of nine EU commissioners, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso arrived in Beijing on Thursday afternoon for a three-day exchange, meeting Premier Wen Jiabao yesterday.
The two leaders called the meetings 'unprecedented' in size - with ministers scheduled to have talks on areas from the environment and energy, to customs and consumer protection - and described the talks as 'frank and candid'.
The EU president also met President Hu Jintao yesterday afternoon and inaugurated an exhibition on climate change. Meanwhile, Vice-Premier Wang Qishan and EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson started the First China-EU High-Level Economic and Trade Dialogue.
The dialogue, first pledged at the 10th China-EU Summit in November, puts the EU on a par with the United States and provides a mechanism for regular high-level dialogue between the two sides over increasingly complex and troubled bilateral trade relations.
According to mainland customs authorities, the country's trade surplus with the EU jumped 23 per cent year on year in the first three months of this year to US$34.09 billion, while the EU put its trade deficit with China last year at nearly US$251 billion.