FM on Hu's visit to 4 countries, SCO summit
(Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Updated: 2004-06-08 11:22

On the morning of June 1, 2004, Assistant Foreign Minister Li Hui briefed journalists from home and abroad on President Hu Jintao's upcoming visit to four countries in Europe and Asia and presence at the Tashkent Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Li said that at the invitation of Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski, Hungarian President Ferenc Madl, Romanian President Ion Iliescu, and President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, President Hu Jintao would pay a state visit to the above-mentioned four countries and attend the Tashkent Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization from June 8 to 18.

This Euro-Asian tour marks the first visit by China's new president to these four countries. During his visit, President Hu Jintao will hold talks with heads of state of these countries, meet with their prime ministers and speakers of parliament, and exchange views in depth with them on bilateral relations as well as international and regional issues of common interest.

President Hu Jintao will also deliver speeches at the parliaments of Romania and Uzbekistan. China will sign a range of important cooperation documents respectively with the four countries in such areas as culture, tourism, economy and trade. This visit will have significant and far-reaching influence on efforts to consolidate the traditional friendship and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various areas between China and the four countries, and therefore represents another key milestone for the development of the bilateral relations.

Li Hui indicated that the Tashkent Summit is the first meeting for top leaders of the SCO members since the SCO concluded its initial stage and entered the new one featured by pragmatics and cooperation. Therefore, this summit is of great significance to the definition of the organization's orientation for future development, planning of concrete work in various fields and further promotion of the SCO's role in regional and international affairs. During the summit, President Hu Jintao will hold group talks with heads of state of the other members and attend the launching ceremony of the Executive Committee of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS).

Besides, Hu will hold bilateral meetings respectively with the presidents of the following four members: Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Li Hui introduced that at the invitation of the president of the hosting country, President Karzai of the Afghan transitional government would attend the summit as the former's guest and President Hu Jintao would meet with Karzai.

Li also took questions from the press on President Hu Jintao's upcoming visit. Over sixty journalists from home and abroad attended the briefing, which was chaired by Deputy Director-General of the Information Department of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China Liu Jianchao.

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