BEIJING -- Chinese President Hu Jintao said Monday that China will continue to provide convenience of investment for European Union (EU) firms, while urging the EU to expand export of high-tech products and recognize China's market economy status.

Hu made the remarks during talks with visiting European Council President Herman Van Rompuy in Beijing.

"China will continue to provide convenience for investments from EU firms," said Hu, adding that "the EU should take proactive measures to expand export of high-tech products to China, recognize China's market economy status and create a loose policy environment for Chinese firms to invest in EU countries."

During Van Rompuy's first official visit to China since becoming European Council president, he will also meet with Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice President Xi Jinping, respectively.

The 27-member bloc is now China's largest trading partner and second largest export market while China is the EU's second-largest trading partner.

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Hu said, to push advancement of China-EU relations, the two sides should keep high-level exchanges, strengthen strategic dialogues and policy communication, deepen coordination and cooperation on bilateral and multilateral affairs and work to develop an equal partnership featuring mutual respect, friendship and mutual trust.

Hu called for enhanced cooperation in the fields of trade, finance, innovation, environmental protection and new energy, and efforts to foster new growth areas and to advance the cooperative partnership that features reciprocity, win-win situations and common development.

He also called for increased cooperation and exchanges in the cultural and education sectors to deepen understanding and friendship between the two sides.

"China always treats China-EU relations in accordance with the development of the times and from a strategic perspective," Hu said. "We will work with the EU to further outline the overall development of China-EU relations and lift China-EU comprehensive and strategic partnership to a new level."

Hu said China welcomes the EU to play a more positive and constructive role in international affairs, adding that "an economically stable and prosperous Europe is good for both the world and China."

"Whether in the past, at present or in the future, China will always be a reliable cooperative partner of Europe," Hu said.

Van Rompuy said the EU would like to work with China to boost bilateral ties and the global economy as a whole in the spirit of cooperation, mutual trust and mutual respect.

He said the EU and China, both economic and political partners, have a lot in common despite differences in terms of development stage and level.

He said the EU will work with China to strengthen cooperation in various fields, jointly keep markets open, avoid protectionism and push the Doha round of World Trade Organization negotiations to produce outcomes as soon as possible.

Van Rompuy also expressed his appreciation for China's contribution to helping maintain stability in the euro zone and promoting economic recovery in Europe.

Van Rompuy's China tour followed the second round of China-EU high-level strategic dialogues, which were co-chaired by Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo and Catherine Ashton, high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy, in Hungary.