China asks European Union to end outdated weapons embargo

China called on the European Union Thursday to lift a 17-year-old arms embargo imposed after the 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators.

"The European arms embargo has been outdated for a long time," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan at a regular foreign ministry press briefing. He appealed to the European Union to lift it "at an early date."

Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing raised the issue with European officials during a visit to Europe this month, Kong said.

The embargo was imposed after the Chinese government's deadly crackdown on the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement, reports the AP.

D.M.