BEIJING, Sept. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- China and European Union reached an agreement on Thursday and China will participate in the Galileo project, the Europe's major satellite-navigation program, according to a press releaseby the EU delegation.

    This agreement provides for cooperative activities on satellite navigation in a wide range of sectors, notably science and technology,industrial manufacturing, and service and market development, said the newsrelease.

¡¡¡¡"China will help Galileo become the major world infrastructure in the growing market for location services", Loyola de Palacio, vice president of the European Commission, responsible for the Galileo program, was quoted as saying.

¡¡¡¡China and the EU have finalized a draft agreement, which will be submitted to the next EU Transport Council meeting on Oct. 9 for formal approval by the EU member states.

¡¡¡¡The text will also need approval by China's State Council before it is submitted for signature at the forthcoming China-EU Summit on Oct. 30, the release said.

¡¡¡¡According to the information from the EU delegation in China, a "China-Europe Global Navigation Satellite System Technical Training and Cooperation Center" (CENC) will be inaugurated Friday, serving as a focal point for all activities on Galileo. Enditem