The second round of China-EU. Strategic Dialogue will be held in Budapest, Hungary from May 12 to 15, 2011. Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo and European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton will co-chair the meeting.

The meeting in Budapest is an important staging post in preparations for the next EU-China summit later this year. Discussions will focus on international developments -- in particular the events in North Africa and the Arab world -- and various bilateral issues including global economy and climate change.

The dialogue was launched in southwestern China's Guizhou province in Septemberm, 2010. Dai and Ashton co-chaired the first round of the dialogue there.

The EU and China currently have 56 dialogues, including a summit and meetings on issues including agriculture, culture, development and science.