Chinese, US senior officials to discuss trade in Washington

    Senior officials from China and the United States are expected to discuss their respective concerns on trade and business during a meeting of the Sino-U.S. Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) scheduled for next week in Washington.

    Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi will leave Beijing on April 3 for the U.S. tour, Qin announced.

    She will co-chair the 17th meeting of the JCCT with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez and Trade Representative Rob Portman.

    During her stay in the United States, Wu will also pay visits to some states, according to Qin.

    Wu and Gutierrez vowed during their meeting in Beijing earlier this week to improve bilateral trade and economic ties in a bid to create a "positive atmosphere" for the upcoming meeting between Chinese President Hu Jintao and U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington next month.

    Sino-U.S. trade hit 212 billion U.S. dollars last year. China has become the fourth largest export market and the third largest trade partner of the United States.

    Vice President to attend Boao Forum for Asia in April

    Vice President Zeng Qinghong will attend the annual meeting of the Boao Forum for Asia scheduled for April 21 to 23 in south China's Hainan island province.

    Zeng will also meet with leaders of foreign countries and other representatives participating in the meeting, said Qin.

    The BFA Annual Conference 2006, with the theme of "New Opportunities of Asia: Driving Growth to the Next Level," will be held between April 21 and 23 in the scenic town of Boao, Hainan.

    The BFA was proposed by former Prime Minister of Australia Robert James Lee Hawke, former President of the Philippines Fidel Ramos, and former Prime Minister of Japan Hosokawa Morihiro in 1998.

    It was officially established in February 2001, with the Declaration on the BFA signed by delegates from 26 founding members. The first BFA annual conference was held in April 2002.

    China expects UN statement to enhance IAEA role

    China expects the presidential statement on the Iran nuclear issue adopted by the UN Security Council on Wednesday will help enhance the authority and role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said Qin.

    The statement calls on Iran to resume suspension of all uranium enrichment-related activities within 30 days.

    Under present situation, there still exists a room to solve the Iranian nuclear standoff via diplomatic negotiations and the international community should not give up efforts, Qin told a regular press conference held here on Thursday.

    He urged all parties concerned to keep restraint and be patient, saying China takes an open attitude toward any suggestion or efforts conducive to the settlement of the nuclear issue.

    Yemeni president to visit China

    At the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao, President of the Republic of Yemen Ali Abdullah Saleh will pay a state visit to China from April 5 to 10, Qin announced. Enditem