EU sees early end to dispute over telecoms

Agreement covering subsidies may be reached as early as next week

China and the European Union aim to end a long-running telecom row next week, the EU's trade chief said on Friday, potentially easing tensions between two of the world's top trading powers.

Reuters reported this week that Europe was close to a deal with Beijing on defusing the issue of what Brussels says are illegal subsidies to Chinese makers of equipment for mobile telecom networks.