The European Union may lift its ban on arms sales to China this month, officials in Brussels said Wednesday.  

EU spokeswoman Emma Udwin said EU governments have discussed an end to the ban several times in recent months.

EU foreign ministers will "likely" make a final decision on April 26, she said.

The foreign ministers will meet in Ireland next weekend with their Chinese counterpart, Li Zhaoxing, as part of an EU-Asia meeting.

The arms embargo is not on the official agenda, but Ireland, current holder of the EU presidency, says they will cover "international and regional issues of common concern."

France and Germany are the key proponents of lifting the ban, which keeps China from buying cutting-edge weapons like French Mirage jets and stealthy German submarines.

European arms makers are keen to supply the fast modernizing military of China, the EU's second biggest trade partner after the United States.

(Xinhua News Agency April 15, 2004)