Cablegate: November 7 Mfa Briefing On Hu Jintao Visit to Apec,

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R 072319Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
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INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE

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
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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
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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
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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.

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