State Councilor Liu Yandong on Wednesday gave books and shuttlecocks to students at a school in Brussels, and invited them to kick shuttlecock with children in China, where the sport is popular.

"Some Chinese students can kick a shuttlecock about 100 or 200 times in a row, and you are warmly welcomed to kick shuttlecock with them," the visiting state councilor told students and teachers at European School Brussels II.

Liu sent Chinese books, shuttlecocks and a painting of shuttlecock-kicking by a Chinese student to the school as gifts. She also invited the school to select 10 students to join a summer camp in China this year.

The visit was a warm-up event to the opening ceremony for the China and EU High-Level People-to-People Dialogue. Androulla Vassiliou, European commissioner of education, culture, multilingualism and youth also attended the event.

The schoolchildren welcomed Liu by singing Chinese and English songs, reciting Chinese poems and sharing stories of the time they spent in China with local families.

"Today is very special for our school, and you have brought sunny weather," said Richard Galvin, director of European School Brussels II.

The school, which is for children of diplomats from European Union institutions, has begun offering a Chinese class to high school students. It has also opened exchange programs with Chinese schools in Shanghai and Guangdong province.

Galvin had just returned from Beijing, where he signed an agreement with Shijia Primary School for an online teaching exchange.

"Language is key for mutual understanding, and we hope more and more Chinese students can learn European languages and more European kids can learn Chinese," said Liu, who is also visiting the UK, European Union and Cyprus.

Chinese Ambassador Wu Hailong said this year will see a record number of high-level visits between China and the EU. Premier Wen Jiabao will visit Iceland, Germany, Sweden and Poland from Friday to April 27.

Vassiliou said the opening of the people-to-people dialogue is an important step in bilateral relations. "The people-to-people dialogue will open up our contacts and cooperation on a wide range of issues, bringing real benefits to European and Chinese citizens," she said.

Liu also met Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo on Tuesday, and said she hoped Belgium could serve as a gateway for Chinese investment into Europe and also as a "bridgehead" for cultural exchanges between China and the EU, according to Xinhua.

Contact the writer at fujing@chinadaily.com.cn