"It would seem advantageous to coordinate the EU's and China's efforts more closely around priorities which reflect Africa's needs," the ministers said in a joint statement released as they met in Brussels.

"This trilateral dialogue will support the efforts undertaken by Africa and by the international community to promote democratisation, political and economic integration, good governance and respect for human rights," the statement added.

"China is ... playing an increasing role in Africa and offers new prospects for the economic development of the African continent," the ministers said.

The original proposal for trilateral cooperation came from the European Commission, which has suggested closer cooperation on building infrastructure, supporting African Union peace and security efforts, promoting sustainable environmental management and fostering agricultural production.

"Given that development and security are interdependent, trilateral cooperation centred on these initiatives should promote coherence between actions undertaken in these different areas," the statement added.

"Particular attention should be given to cooperation in the area of peace and security," the EU foreign ministers said.

In January EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel spoke of forming a "partnership" between Europe and China on Africa but Brussels appears since then to have scaled down its ambitions and now talks merely about "dialogue" and "progressive" cooperation.

Africa is expected to figure highly at an EU-China summit on December 1 in Lyon, France.

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