President Hu to meet Abe, Bush at APEC meeting

Beijing(China)—Chinese President Hu Jintao will meet U.S. President George W. Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe separately during the APEC summit this month, a Chinese official said Tuesday.
Cui Tiankai, China’s assistant foreign affairs minister, said Hu will hold the meetings with Bush and Abe when all three are attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi on November 18-19.
“They will further exchange views on bilateral issues and major international and regional issues,” Cui said at a news conference of Hu’s meeting with Abe. He did not say if North Korea’s nuclear ambitions would be discussed.
Japanese news reports have said that Abe and Bush will meet along the sidelines of APEC to talk about the North. It was to be the first meeting between the two leaders since Abe took office in September.
Pyongyang agreed last week to end its yearlong boycott of six-party negotiations with China, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the U.S. in the first sign of a relaxation of tensions after the North’s October 9 nuclear test. A resumption date for the talks has yet to be set.
The APEC summit will draw leaders from 21 countries and thousands of business executives from around the world.
Cui said one of the items on Hu’s agenda at the APEC forum, expected to be attended by other Asia Pacific heads of state, was to “put forward specific proposals on how to further facilitate cooperation within APEC.”
Hu will also push for restarting the Doha round of WTO trade talks, Cui said. China believes major members of the organization “should take more positive measures and demonstrate their political will,” he said.
Cui did not name the members or give details, but European countries and Japan have pressured the United States to make drastic reductions in domestic farm subsidies that they say make it hard for other countries to compete. U.S. officials have said they’re willing to offer more concessions but want the European Union to put greater tariff reductions on the negotiating table.
The disagreement was a key element in bringing the Doha round to a standstill in July. Following the summit, Hu will visit Laos, India and Pakistan, Cui said. The Chinese president was also to pay a state visit to Vietnam.
Meanwhile: Chinese President Hu Jintao will meet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President George W. Bush respectively during the 14th APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) Economic Leaders Informal Meeting in Vietnam. They will exchange views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of common concern, said a Chinese Foreign Ministry official here Tuesday.

—Daily Mail, People’s Daily news exchange item