Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said Tuesday removing the European Union's ban on arms sales to China does not necessarily mean China will increase imports of weapons.

Foreign Minister Bernard Bot of the Netherlands, whose country is now holding the EU presidency, said Monday that the EU is ready to send China a "positive signal" on arms embargo when leaders from both sides meet in the Netherlands in December.

Zhang told a routine press conference that the lift of EU arms embargo is a matter of political principles and it will not necessarily mean that China will increase imports of arms.

She noted that EU members are discussing this issue and will hold a leaders meeting in December. Zhang expressed the wish that EU would take into consideration of the entirety of EU-China relations and take every possible step to enhance the development the relations.

The European Union has had an arms embargo against China for 15 years.