New EU chief good for ties with Beijing

The appointment of Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy as European Union (EU) president will help its member nations agree on a unified China policy and reduce the risk of estrangement in relations, diplomats and experts said on Friday.

EU leaders handed the block's new top job to Van Rompuy on Thursday (Friday, Beijing time). They also appointed trade commissioner Catherine Ashton, of Britain, as the EU's new foreign policy chief.

The two top jobs were created on the basis of EU reform document, the Lisbon Treaty, that takes effect from Dec 1.