Under the approval of the State Council of China, the China-EU Association (CEUA) was established on November 11, 2001 with Madame He Luli, Vice Chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress as its Honorary President and Mr. Chen Haosu, President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries as its President. The office is located at the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

The aim of the China-EU Association can be summarized as promoting the friendly relations between China and EU and its member states, expanding international exchanges and cooperation and safeguarding world peace.

As an independent judicial association, the China-EU Association is engaged in the people-to-people diplomatic work under the guidance of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. Its activities include conducting goodwill exchanges with the foreign friendship groups and organizations, as well as personages from various circles, promoting people-to-people economic, trade and cultural cooperation, helping establishing sister-city relations and strengthening links between local governments of China and EU.

Currently the China-EU Association has developed a network of over 170 group and individual members from 23 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities across China.

Since its establishment, the China-EU Association has held a series of activities in a bid to introduce to the general public the development of EU and promote the Sino-EU cooperation in the economic, social and cultural fields. For instance: in early 2002, the Association, in cooperation with the EU Delegation of the European Commission in China, hosted the Euro Road Show in 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities across China; on Sept. 27, 2002, it held the Italian Light Arts Exhibition in Ditan Park; in November 2002, the China-EU Association and the Beijing Technology Exchange Training Centre signed the letter of intention on establishing the China-EU Academy. In April this year, in the period of SARS outbreak, as required by the EU Delegation of the European Commission in China, the China-EU Association co-sponsored with the Greek Embassy, then the  presidency of the European Council, the reception in honor of the signing of the EU enlargement documents. 250 people including representatives from the 25 EU and would-be EU states and members of the China-EU Association participated in the ceremony. This year, it successfully took over the China Civil and Public Welfare Development Company, co-established the Educational Research and Cooperation Project Office with the University of East London and launched the China-EU Development and Research Centre with the Napier University from Britain