Brussels, 13/06/2005 (Agence Europe) - European Commissioner Stavros Dimas will meet Chinese Environment Minister Xie Zhenhua on his first visit to Brussels on 14 June. They will discuss closer cooperation with emerging countries on climate change. After 2012, this is expected to be a priority in meetings as part of the EU-China Environment Dialogue. The European Commission and China agreed in 2003 to work together to tackle growing environmental problems, promote sustainable development and cooperate ahead of international meetings. The Montreal Conference in December will mark the start-up of multilateral negotiations on climate in an effort to intensify efforts following the end to the first period of Kyoto Protocol commitments. Commissioner Dimas will discuss with the Chinese Minister closer cooperation on climate change, water management, air pollution and biodiversity. In a press statement the Commissioner declared, “In the course of a few decades China has seen the kind of development that Europe witnessed over more than a century. What is important is the awareness of the Chinese Government to avoid repeating many of our past mistakes.”