President Jiang Zemin will pay a visit to the United States from
October 22 to 25 at the invitation of US President George W. Bush.
"The upcoming visit is a major event in Sino-US relations," said
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue at a regular news
briefing.
"We believe that through the joint efforts of both sides, the visit
will further enhance mutual understanding and trust between the two
countries and push ahead the bilateral constructive and cooperative
relationship."
Zhang said that during the visit, Jiang will exchange views with
Bush and other US officials on Sino-US relations and major
international issues of common concern.
Jiang is scheduled to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC) Informal Leaders' Meeting to be held in Los Cabos, Mexico,
on October 26 and 27, after winding up his trip to the United
States.
Jiang's meeting with Bush will be the third between the two
presidents since last October. Following his attendance at the APEC
leaders' meeting in Shanghai last October, Bush paid a brief visit
to China in February.
Zhang said that both countries have attached great importance to
the visit and that preparations are under way.
The spokeswoman yesterday announced that the World Summit on
Intellectual Property will be held in Beijing next April.
Co-sponsored by the Chinese Government and the World Intellectual
Property Organization (WIPO), the summit will be the first WIPO
leaders' meeting.
Zhang said that the summit will heighten attention paid by the
international community to the protection of intellectual property
and strengthen cooperation in the field.
Turning to the Iraqi issue, Zhang reiterated that Iraq should
implement the related United Nations resolutions comprehensively
and strictly.
The urgent thing now is for the UN weapons inspectors to return to
Iraq as soon as possible and make an objective judgment, she
said.
Zhang added that the Iraqi issue should be resolved politically
within the UN framework.
According to Zhang, China and other countries have kept close
contact concerning the Iraqi issue both in the UN and at the
bilateral level.
Zhang confirmed at yesterday's briefing that a foreigner was killed
near the Great Wall.
A
British passport was found on the foreigner, according to Zhang,
who added that police are still investigating the case.
(China
Daily October 11, 2002)