European Union Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton will visit China next week for talks on trade and investment issues, the European Commission announced Friday.

"The EU and China share common goals in trade and investment, including for the Doha Round and in our bilateral relationship," Ashton said in a statement ahead of her week-long trip that starts Sunday.

"We must continue to build confidence in order to realize our full potential and deal effectively with any issues that arise, especially in the face of the economic downturn," Ashton said.

The commission said Ashton, during her first visit to China since taking office last October, will raise issues such as barriers to investment, protection for intellectual property and cooperation on trade and investment in green technologies.

Ashton, in her capacity as co-chairperson of the EU-China High Level Economic and Trade Dialogue (HED), will continue talks with senior Chinese officials, including Vice Premier Wang Qishan and Commerce Minister Chen Deming.

In addition to Beijing, Ashton will also travel to Xiamen, located in southeast China, to speak at the China International Fair for Investment and Trade.

Ashton and Wang in May co-chaired the second EU-China HED in Brussels.

"Talks in Beijing will continue in the same spirit, focusing on the common goal of achieving a deal in the Doha Round of world trade talks, as well as identifying opportunities for further bilateral trade and investment," the commission said.

(Xinhua News Agency September 5, 2009)