Strasbourg, Sept 9 (ZEENEWS.COM) The European Parliament has called on European union leaders ahead of an EU-China summit this weekend not to lift an EU arms embargo on Beijing until further improvements in human rights is seen.

The EU assembly voted 351 to 48, with 160 abstentions to pass the resolution.

The second largest political group in the legislature, the socialist group, abstained in protest over the omission of a clear statement calling on the EU to follow a "one China policy" which denies Taiwan the right to conduct its own foreign relations or to join international organizations.

The parliament resolution called on the EU to pursue closer trade ties with Beijing which "should also result in human rights reforms."

It added that until there is a new binding code of conduct on arms exports "and until the situation regarding human rights and civil and political freedoms ... has been properly addressed, the EU should not lift the arms embargo."

The resolution also called on China to "comply with fair and equitable international trade rules" ending what the EU claims is the dumping of cheap leather shoes on the European market. It also appealed to Beijing to get tough on the counterfeiting and pirating of European products and brands.

China appealed yesterday for the EU to lift the 17-year-old ban on arms sales to Beijing ahead of Saturday's EU-China meeting in Helsinki, Finland. China will also attend a Europe-Asia summit next week, also in Helsinki.

The embargo was imposed after china's 1989 crackdown on the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests. Beijing has lobbied repeatedly for the ban to be lifted, calling it out of date.