Brussels, 23/02/2005 (Agence Europe) - European Commissioner for Trade Peter Mandelson will arrive in Peking on Wednesday for a four day visit to China meet with the Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai and Vice Premier Wu Yi. Speaking before his departure Commissioner Mandelson said: “I see no greater strategic challenge for Europe than to understand the dramatic rise of China and to forge ties with it.” Commissioner Mandelson's visit is intended to stress the need to create a new strategic partnership between the EU and China. Mr Mandelson said: “I believe that Europeans need to have a clearer sense that China is assuming the responsibilities that go with its new global trading and political power. Not least, China has an overwhelming interest in strengthening a rules-based trading system.” During the last EU/China summit on 8 December between the two parties (Europe is China's largest trading partner and China is Europe's second largest trading partner) decided to define a new framework for strengthening their partnership (EUROPE 9 December 2004 p 4). Mr Mandelson believes that this project should include ambitious chapters on trade and investment. In another respect, the move to quota-free trade in textiles on 1 January 2005, China has a key role to play in ensuring that its textiles exports grow at a reasonable rate. Commissioner Mandelson said: “We can all benefit from textiles liberalisation, but some moderation and caution in the rate of growth of Chinese exports will help to ensure harmonious adjustment to the new global trading environment.” The Commissioner's spokesperson Claude Veron-Reville explained that the issue of the lifting of the European arms embargo on China was not on the agenda but admitted that “in these discussions Peter Mandelson might want to remind China of the EU's position”.