EU Seeks Balanced China Relationship   03/22 06:12

   BRUSSELS (AP) -- European Union leaders worried about China's growing power 
are devising plans to counter the ambitions of a country they describe as a 
"systemic rival."

   The European Council will discuss on Friday a 10-point strategy set out by 
the European Commission before an EU-China summit next month.

   The EU wants to "fully address the distortive effects of foreign state 
ownership" and "achieve a more balanced and reciprocal economic relationship."

   China is the EU's second-biggest trading partner behind the U.S. while China 
is the EU's second largest partner. The trade in goods between the two is worth 
around 1.1 billion a day, but the balance is largely in China's favor.

   Chinese President Xi Jinping is currently in Italy and will travel to France 
next week as part of a European tour.


(KA)