Spain's Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said his government, in charge of the rotating six-month EU presidency, was weighing "the pros and cons" of lifting the ban.

The EU is eager "to improve relations with China to ensure the best possible dialogue," he said. "We are all aware of the new role which China is assuming in the world."

The two-decade-old embargo was implemented as a result of the violent crackdown on Chinese anti-regime demonstrators in 1989 on Tiananmen Square.

Beijing has long called for its abolishment.

"The embargo is outdated, it does not go along with the partnership between China and the EU," Wang Xining, spokesman for the Chinese mission to the EU, told EUobserver.com.

France has been one of the countries advocating lifting the ban, and Spain, with the backing of Italy, is willing to consider that option. Yet other EU members, including Germany and the Scandinavian countries don't feel that China's human-rights record deserves a lift.

And it's unlikely that the European Parliament would back allowing arms sales to China. A similar attempt failed in 2005 when France and Germany teamed up.

Neither would Washington like such a move. The United States also has an embargo on China in place and is not considering lifting it, observers say. Observers say only a joint move with the United States would find a majority in Europe.

Currently China is purchasing most of its weapons from Russia. It is also buying parts in Europe, for example engines from Rolls-Royce that are due to be put into Chinese fighter planes.

Meanwhile, China is warning Washington over an upcoming arms sale to nearby Taiwan, likely to include Black Hawk helicopters and missile defense systems.

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