Special Report: President Hu attends Outreach Session of G8 Summit
Backgrounder: Key facts about G8 summit
Backgrounder: Toyako, venue for 2008 G8 summit

    SAPPORO, Japan, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao Tuesday called on five major developing nations to enhance cooperation and coordination for the sake of common development.

    Leaders from China, India, Brazil, South Africa and Mexico gathered in Sapporo, capital of Hokkaido, northern Japan, Tuesday to exchange views on the issues of common concern.

Chinese President Hu Jintao (2nd R) pose for photos with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (1st R), Mexican President Felipe Calderon (C), Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva (2nd L) and South African President Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki before their meeting in Sapporo, northern Japan, July 8, 2008. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    They were meeting on the eve of an outreach session of the Group of Eight (G8) summit, slated for Wednesday in the northern Japanese resort of Toyako.

    In a speech delivered at the collective meeting, President Hu said developing countries are an important force in upholding world peace and promoting common development.

    As the five major developing countries take up 42 percent of the world's population and 12 percent of the world's GDP, closer coordination and cooperation among them will not only contribute to their own development, but also "enhance South-South cooperation, promote North-South dialogue and advance the noble cause of peace and development of mankind," he said.

    Recognizing that a coordination mechanism among the five countries has taken initial shape, Hu proposed the priority areas of strengthening solidarity, promoting coordination and common development, and advancing dialogue as well as fulfilling responsibilities, in which the five emerging economies should build on their achievements and continue their efforts.

    On soaring food prices, the Chinese president called on the five countries to jointly encourage the international community to play a more active role in ensuring food security.

    Hu also expressed heartfelt thanks on behalf of the Chinese government and people to the four countries for their strong support for and sincere assistance to China's rescue and relief endeavors following a devastating earthquake that hit China's Sichuan province on May 12.

    At the outreach session of the G8, leaders of the eight major industrialized nations, China and the other countries invited to the meeting will discuss the pressing issues facing the world today, such as the world economy, climate change, food and energy security.

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

    The G8 has strengthened links and dialogue with developing countries in recent years. Such a trend has helped advance the South-North dialogue and cooperation, push forward the development of multilateralism, and promote the resolution of global issues.

Leaders of China, India, Brazil, S Africa, Mexico meet before G8 outreach session

    SAPPORO, Japan, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Leaders from China, India, Brazil, South Africa and Mexico gathered in Sapporo, capital of Hokkaido, northern Japan, Tuesday to exchange views on the issues of common concern.

    Chinese President Hu Jintao and leaders of the other four developing countries were meeting on the eve of an outreach session of the Group of Eight (G8) summit, slated for Wednesday in the northern Japanese resort of Toyako.  Full story

Chinese president leaves for G8 summit outreach session

    BEIJING, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao left here Monday afternoon for Japan to attend the Outreach Session of the Group of Eight (G8) Summit, at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.

    Hu's entourage included Ling Jihua, member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of General Office of CPC Central Committee, Wang Huning, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and director of Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee, State Councilor Dai Bingguo, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Minister in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission Zhang Ping, Minister of Agriculture Sun Zhengcai, Minister of Commerce Chen Deming, Director of the President's Office Chen Shiju and Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Jieyi. Full story

Japan summit to test G8 leaders on climate change, world economy and security

    TOYAKO, Japan, July 6 (Xinhua) -- When the leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized nations gather in Hokkaido, Japan, this week for their annual summit, they face the challenge of showing greater resolve to fight global warming, remedying the world economy and easing tensions in the world's hot spots.

    The host country Japan has put talks on climate change high on the agenda of the meeting in the northern resort of Toyako, building on the outcome of last year's summit in Germany, where leaders agreed to seriously consider a target of halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Full story

G8 summit opens with focus on Africa on Day 1

    TOYAKO, Japan, July 7 (Xinhua) -- The three-day summit of the Group of Eight (G8) kicked off on Monday with the first session bringing together leaders of the industrialized nations and their counterparts from seven African countries.

    Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who is playing host for the G8 annual gathering, greeted other G8 leaders and the African leaders at the start of a working lunch at the hilltop Windsor Hotel in Toyako, a resort town on the northern island of Hokkaido. Full story