Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Japanese Prime Minister Fukuda
Yasuo are expected to have a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of
a series of meetings in Singapore next week, said Assistant Foreign
Minister He Yafei on Wednesday.
"The two sides are preparing for the bilateral meeting (between
Wen and Fukuda)... if the meeting takes place, it will be Premier
Wen's first meeting with Fukuda, and I believe the two will discuss
issues regarding China-Japan relations," said He at a press
conference.
Wen will make an official visit to Singapore and attend a series
of meetings there from Nov. 18 to 22.
The meetings will include the 11th ASEAN (Association of
Southeast Asian Nations) plus Three (China, Japan and the Republic
of Korea) summit, the 11th China-ASEAN summit, the third east Asian
regional summit, and the eighth annual meeting of leaders of China,
Japan and the Republic of Korea.
According to He, the ASEAN plus three summit will review the 10
years of cooperation between ASEAN and China, Japan and ROK and
issue a joint statement on east Asia cooperation, the second of its
kind, and a working plan on the ASEAN plus three cooperation.
He said Premier Wen will reiterate China's position to support
the integration process of ASEAN and support ASEAN to play a
leading role in regional cooperation, and make some new proposals
on the ASEAN plus three cooperation.
At the east Asian regional summit, Wen will elaborate on China's
position on climate change and the measures it has taken and
further steps it will take to face climate change.
At the meeting between Chinese, Japanese and ROK leaders, the
three sides will all make concrete proposals on strengthening
practical cooperation, particularly in the fields of environmental
protection, sci-tech, culture and youth exchange.
Leaders of the three countries may also touch on the Korean
Peninsula nuclear issue when they discuss some regional and
international issues.
On the Myanmar issue, He said the issue is not included in the
agenda of the above meetings, adding that China hopes to see
stability, democracy, reconciliation and development in Myanmar,
and calls for dialogues and patience in resolving the Myanmar
issue.
He stressed that this is the fifth time for Premier Wen to
attend the ASEAN series of meetings, and also an important visit by
a major Chinese state leader after the 17th National Congress of
the Communist Party of China held in mid October.
According to He, trade volume between China and ASEAN may top
190 billion U.S. dollars this year.
(Xinhua News Agency November 15, 2007)
