Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao told senior EU diplomats in Beijing Wednesday that China and the European Union should handle their 30-year-long relations from "a strategic and long-term perspective" and improve coordination in major international issues.

In a meeting with the European Union "Troika" foreign ministers, Wen said he hoped both China and the EU would strive to improve political mutual trust and expand cooperation in economics and trade.

The EU visitors include Jean Asselborn, foreign minister of Luxembourg, which holds the rotating EU presidency, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU external relations commissioner, and a representative of the British Foreign Secretary.

They are paying a two-day official visit to China starting Wednesday as guests of Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.

Topics discussed by the two sides were said to cover EU's 16-year-long arms embargo to China, festering textile trade disputes and the Taiwan question.

The Chinese Premier said China and the EU are two major forces in maintaining world peace and promoting development, who both uphold multilateralism, advocate cultural diversity and strive for a fair and orderly international economic environment.

"Given the current complicated international situation and the continuous development of globalization, the enforcement and development of China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership will benefit China-EU long-term interests, Asia-Europe cooperation and the world peace and stability," Wen said.

Referring to China as a responsible partner in global affairs, the EU diplomats said the EU and China share same opinions in building multilateralism. "We also share common responsibilities in maintaining world peace and development."

The diplomats expressed the EU's wishes to expand cooperation with China in the fields of trade, investment, education, science and technology, environmental protection and energy supply.

The EU diplomats' visit to China came on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and EU. During their stay in Beijing, they were also scheduled to meet with Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and hold talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.

China-EU relations witnessed fast development in recent years.

In 2004, bilateral trade hit 177.3 billion US dollars, increasing by 73 times from that in 1975 when the two forged diplomatic relations.

Currently, the EU is China's top trade partner and China is the EU's second largest trade partner.