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BEIJING, Feb 24 (AFP): EU trade chief Peter Mandelson called on China Thursday to make it easier for Europe to lift its arms embargo by showing clearer evidence it was working to meet areas of concern like human rights.
Mandelson made the call on a two-day visit to Beijing as a row looms with the United States over the contentious issue.
"We in Europe are preparing to move forward to lift the arms embargo," he said in a speech to students at Beijing's University of International Busineses and Economics.
"But if and when we do, we shall find the step easier if we can point to clear evidence that China is taking account our concerns in other areas of policy which, in turn, will allow us in Europe to feel confident about our next move."
In particular, the EU has urged more progress on human rights and Mandelson reaffirmed that this was a key area of concern.
"And of course for Europeans the protection of human rights is a key concern," he said.
"We should vigorously pursue our dialogue on this, in an atmosphere of mutual respect and confidence, and a desire always to always improve our performance."
The European Union imposed a ban on exports of military hardware to China in 1989, to protest a brutal crackdown on weeks of pro-democracy protests against the Communist leadership.
But now it wants to lift the embargo with an eye firmly on the booming Chinese economy, as China continues moves to open up to the West which have already seen it win a seat on the World Trade Organisation.
But the US is deeply concerned and President George W Bush warned on a trip to Europe Tuesday that Washington would consider imposing punitive measures if it went ahead.
Washington is worried it would give China access to hi-tech military know-how and firepower that would threaten Taiwan, seen by Beijing as a renegade province, and shift the strategic balance in East Asia.
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