20/05/2009 (Agence Europe) - The 4th phase of the EU-China Managers Exchange and Training Programme (METP) began this week in Beijing with an intercultural training course bringing together managers of 19 EU member states and China. A joint initiative of the Chinese government and the European Commission, the METP aims to promote EU-China trade relations by sending managers of SMEs and NGOs from the EU to China, where they will receive ten-month training including lessons in business Chinese and an entrepreneurial training course. The long-term objective is to strengthen EU-China relations in a modern and lasting manner through exchange and economic cooperation. For more details see: http://www.metp.net.cn . (E.H./transl.jl)