Chinese president to visit Britain, Germany, Spain

Chinese President Hu Jintao will pay state visits to Britain, Germany and Spain from Nov. 8 to 17, Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said Tuesday in Beijing.

At a regular press conference, Kong said President Hu's visit to Britain will strengthen mutual trust, expand cooperation in various areas, and push forward the all-round strategic partnership between the two countries to a new height.

Kong said that, during Hu's visit to Germany, two heads of state will exchange views on bilateral relations, and some international and regional issues of common concern. Kong hoped that with Germany's new government in office, China and Germany can make joint efforts to cement bilateral ties to a new stage of development.

Kong added that some government departments and business people will sign contracts during Hu's visit to Spain, in order to promote cooperation in economy and trade, science and technology, and culture.

Hu's trip comes after last month's agreement on ending an impasse that left millions of Chinese-made garments stuck in European Union ports. Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai and his counterpart, EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson inked a deal increasing quotas, which both sides described as a "win-win" result.

Hu's last official visit to the three European countries was in November 2001, one year before he took the position of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. The visit, also including France and Russia, was widely seen by international media as a chance for Hu to step onto the world stage.

After the visits, President Hu will attend the 13th APEC Economic Leaders Meeting to be held in Busan of the Republic of Korea from Nov. 18 to 19, Kong said.

In Seoul, China and the ROK, both players in the Six-Party Talks on the nuclear standoff in the Korean Peninsula, are expected to touch upon the nuclear issue again. A fresh round of nuclear negotiations is likely to be held in Beijing in the second week of November.

Source: Xinhua/People's Daily