The European Union (EU) is committed to building a long-term strategic partnership with China, said EU chief Jose Manuel Barroso on Friday in Brussels.

"This year we celebrate the 30th anniversary of EU-China diplomatic ties, during which relations between the EU and China have continued to expand," said Barroso in a statement before heading for the eighth annual EU-China summit to be held on Sept. 5, in Beijing.

The upcoming summit reflects the EU and China's increasing joint efforts to meet global challenges, Barroso added.

At the summit, the EU and Chinese leaders will discuss a wide range of issues, including the environment, trade, UN reforms, and the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula.

The two sides will launch a new partnership on climate change and agree on a new dialogue mechanism at the vice foreign-ministerial level.

Agreements to be concluded on the margins of the summit include a new dialogue on employment and social affairs, and two memorandums of understanding, one on geographical indication and the other on a Chinese science and technology year in Europe.

Since 1998, the EU-China summit has been held yearly. British Prime Minister Tony Blair, whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency, will also attend this year's summit.

Source: Xinhua