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Chinese Premier Arrives in Brunei to Attend ASEAN Meetings
Chinese Premier Arrives in Brunei to Attend ASEAN Meetings
Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji arrived in Bandar Seri Begawan Sunday afternoon to attend the 5th leaders meeting between the ASEAN and China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) ("10+3") and the 5th leaders meeting between ASEAN and China ("10+1") at the invitation of Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei Darussalam.
The Chinese premier was met at the Brunei international airport by Brunei Communications Minister Petin Zakariah, Chinese Ambassador to Brunei Qu Wenming and his wife Li Rongzhen, and Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi who arrived here earlier.
Zhu's entourage includes Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, Minister of Education Chen Zhili, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC) Shi Guangsheng, President of Bank of China Dai Xianglong, and other senior Chinese officials.
The "10+3" and "10+1" meetings, convened in the early new century among the East Asian leaders, are important meetings to push forward regional cooperation and Sino-ASEAN ties.
During his stay here, Premier Zhu will also attend the informal meeting between leaders of China, Japan and ROK, and meet with Brunei Sultan Bolkiah. He will separately exchange views with ROK President Kim Dae-jung, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai.
The first informal leaders meetings between ASEAN and China, Japan and the ROK, and between ASEAN and China were held in November 1997.
The ASEAN groups the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia.
After the ASEAN meetings, Zhu will leave for Indonesia for a five-day official visit on November 7 at the invitation of Indonesian President Megawati Setiawati Soekarnoputri.
An official of the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that Zhu's Indonesia visit will further the long-term and stable Sino-Indonisian relations of good-neighborliness and mutual trust.
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