Weak trade background to EU-China trade talks

With China's Premier Wen Jiabao visiting Brussels for a summit with European Union (EU) leaders, the BBC's Martin Patience in Beijing said both sides could do without any trade disputes.

The talks come after the EU recently announced that it would investigate whether China was selling solar panels in Europe at below cost price, a practice known as dumping. China denies the allegations.

The meeting also comes at a time when Europe's continuing sovereign debt and wider economic woes have hit demand for China's exports.