Special Report: President Hu attends outreach session of G8 Summit, visits Sweden

    HEILIGENDAMM, Germany, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao attended the outreach session of the Group of Eight (G8) summit here with leaders from other developing countries on Friday.

    The meeting took place at the Kempinski Grand Hotel in the Baltic Coast resort of Heiligendamm in northern Germany.

    It will focus on issues such as the world economy, innovation and protection of intellectual property rights, freedom of investment and social responsibility, energy and climate change, and the development of Africa.

    Apart from President Hu, leaders of Brazil, India, Mexico, and South Africa participated in the session with heads of state or government of the G8 members.

    A senior Chinese Foreign Ministry official expressed his hope on Monday that the meeting would strengthen north-south dialogue and cooperation, facilitate multilateralism so as to help resolve global issues and create favorable conditions for developing countries.

    The G8, an informal forum of leading industrialized nations, groups Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Japan, the United States, Canada and Russia.

    After the outreach session, President Hu will be present at a working luncheon of G8 heads of state and government with outreach and Africa outreach representatives.

    On the sidelines of the session, President Hu is expected to meet some leaders who are attending the G8 meeting.