BRUSSELS, April 28 (Xinhuanet) -- The European Union (EU) and China should promote mutual understanding by strengthening cultural and educational exchanges, European Commission (EC) President Romano Prodi said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

    "My strategy is to promote more and more exchanges with China...not only economic and political ties, but also cultural ties," Prodi said in Strasbourg, France, where he was attending a plenary session of the European Parliament.

    On his four-day visit to China in mid-April, Prodi said he was deeply impressed by the country's rapid progress.

    The bilateral relationship has "never been so good" and his talks with Chinese leadership were impressive, Prodi added.

    But he indicated that the two sides do not know each other well and their friendship should be based on further mutual understanding.

    Prodi said he is optimistic that the EU and China will develop together by boosting cooperation in various fields, adding that he had asked other EC commissioners to visit China to strengthen bilateral ties. Enditem