NOVEMBER 7 MFA BRIEFING ON HU JINTAO VISIT TO APEC,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 023664 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL CH SUBJECT: NOVEMBER 7 MFA BRIEFING ON HU JINTAO VISIT TO APEC, VIETNAM, LAOS, INDIA AND PAKISTAN Summary -------------- ¶1. On November 7, Assistant Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai held a special briefing to announce President Hu Jintao?s plans to visit Vietnam, Laos, India and Pakistan in conjunction with his attendance at the November 17-19 APEC Leaders Summit in Hanoi. Hu will pay state visits to Vietnam from November 15 to 17 and to Laos from November 19 to 20 November, after which he will visit India on November 20-23 and Pakistan on November 23-26. Cui announced that Hu will hold several bilateral meetings on the margins of the 14th APEC Summit, including with President Bush and Japanese PM Abe. End Summary. Vietnam -------------- ¶2. President Hu will pay a state visit to Vietnam from November 15-17 at the invitation of Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee General Secretary Nong Duc Manh and Socialist Republic of Vietnam President Nguyen Minh Triet, Cui said. Hu will meet with top leaders, issue a joint statement and sign a series of bilateral agreements. The visit, President Hu?s first after the 10th Congress of Vietnam?s Communist Party, will focus on building mutual trust and furthering bilateral cooperation and partnership, Cui said. APEC -------------- ¶3. President Hu will attend the APEC Economic Leaders? Meeting from November 17-19 and have bilateral meetings with President Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Abe. AFM Cui ducked a reporter?s question about whether a statement will be made regarding North Korea at APEC, but emphasized APEC?s regional economic focus. Responding to a question on Taiwanese participation at APEC, Cui said China believes Vietnam, as host, will abide by the agreed upon norms in the governing Memorandum of Understanding. ¶4. Cui said China?s specific goals for APEC are to jump- start the Doha Round of trade negotiations, to promote and accelerate regional trade and investment, to adopt measures to deal with hot issues such as epidemics, counterterrorism, and energy, and to reform APEC while maintaining its status and influence. Laos -------------- ¶5. President Hu will pay a state visit to Laos from November 19-20 at the invitation of Lao People's Democratic Republic President Choummali Saignason for meetings with top leaders and the President of the Laos Parliament. Leaders will plan future bilateral ties, release a joint- statement and sign a series of agreements, Cui said. India -------------- ¶6. President Hu will pay a state visit to India from November 20-23 for meetings with Indian President Kalam, Prime Minister Singh and others. He will give a speech in New Delhi and attend an investment summit in Bombay. Multiple cooperation agreements will be signed to further the strategic cooperative partnership between China and India established in April 2005. ¶7. Responding to questions, AFM Cui said both countries can overcome their trade, investment and border disputes. Progress has been made on a border settlement framework, but the specific date for the next round of talks have not been set. This is the India-China friendship year, Cui said. Pakistan -------------- ¶8. President Hu will pay a state visit to Pakistan from November 23-26, reciprocating three state visits from President Musharraf. President Hu will meet with President Musharraf, Prime Minister Aziz, Chairman of the Senate Soomro and Speaker of the National Assembly Hussain, Cui said. Leaders will attend the inauguration of an industrial park and sign a number of cooperation agreements building on the ?Treaty of Good Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation? signed during Wen Jiabao?s visit in 2005. BEIJING 00023664 002 OF 002 South Asia Nuclear Situation -------------- ¶9. Reporters asked several questions about China?s view on United States-India nuclear cooperation, recognizing India and Pakistan as nuclear states and partnering with either country on peaceful nuclear energy projects. AFM Cui said China believes countries which fulfill their international obligations can carry out nuclear energy cooperation, but must maintain the non-proliferation regime. He stressed that China and Pakistan are ?all weather friends? with potential for cooperation in developing energy and resources. China, a South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) observer country, believes strong bilateral ties with South Asian countries can promote cooperation between China and the region as a whole.