国内英语新闻:Chinese vice premier's Europe tour to boost cultural exchanges

BEIJING, Sep. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong will head for EU headquarters and Britain to co-chair meetings of two cultural exchange dialogue mechanisms from Sep. 14 to 20, the Foreign Ministry announced Thursday in Beijing.

Liu will co-chair the third meeting of China-EU high-level people-to-people dialogue with Tibor Navracsics, EU Commissioner for education, culture, youth and sport in Brussels.

She will also head for Britain to co-chair the third meeting of China-Britain high-level cultural exchange mechanism with British Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Liu's visit comes as China and the EU mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties this year.

China and the EU agreed to deepen their partnership for peace, growth, reform and civilization during Chinese President Xi Jinping' s visit to EU headquarters last year.

This upcoming visit will further advance such a partnership, said Vice Education Minister Hao Ping.

Liu's trip to Britain comes ahead of a state visit by President Xi, which, according to Hao, will likely to "lift China-UK comprehensive strategic partnership to a new high" .

He regarded Liu's upcoming trip as "conducive to creating a good atmosphere for Chinese president's state visit and further expanding public support for developing the two countries' ties" .

Liu's visit will be on a very tight schedule. In addition to signing joint statements with her counterparts of the two dialogue mechanisms, she will also visit research institutions, give talks, and attend forums and symposiums.

The first China-EU high level people-to-people dialogue was held in Brussels in April, 2012, and the second was held in Beijing in April, 2014.

The China-Britain mechanism for high-level cultural exchanges was launched by Liu and then culture secretary Hunt in London in April 2012.

Both mechanisms are aimed at expanding cultural ties, strengthening communication between the two peoples, and boosting cooperation in fields such as education, science, culture, sports, media, youth and health.