Premier Zhu Rongji Kicks off Asian TourPremier Zhu Rongji left Beijing Thursday afternoon for an official visit to Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK), at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and ROK President Kim Dae-Jung respectively.During the trip, Premier Zhu will also attend the Third Asia-Europe Meeting to be held in Seoul of ROK. Among those seeing Premier Zhu off at the Great Hall of the People are Vice-Premier Qian Qichen, State Councilor and Secretary-General of the State Council Wang Zhongyu, Deputy Director Jiang Yikang of the General Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Deputy Secretary-General of the State Council Xu Rongkai, Vice-Foreign Minister Yang Wenchang, and diplomatic envoys of Japan and ROK in China. Zhu's entourage includes wife Lao An, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, and Zeng Peiyan, minister in charge of the State Development Planning Commission, and Sheng Huaren, minister in charge of the State Economic and Trade Commission, Finance Minister Xiang Huaicheng and Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Shi Guangsheng and Director Gui Shiyong of the Research Office of the State Council. |
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