On Nov. 6, 2009, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a briefing for the Chinese and foreign media. Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei, Vice Minister of Commerce Yi Xiaozhun and Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue briefed on the background, agenda and significance of President Hu Jintao’s upcoming state visits to Malaysia and Singapore, his attendance of the 17th APEC Informal Leaders’ Meeting and U.S. President Barack Obama’s upcoming visit to China. They also answered questions raised by the journalists concerning China-U.S. relations, China-Malaysia relations, China-Singapore relations and climate change. Ma Zhaoxu, Director-General of the Information Department, hosted the briefing.

I. President Hu Jintao's visits to Malaysia and Singapore

Hu Zhengyue noted that at the invitations of the Malaysian Supreme Head of State Mizan and Singaporean President Nathan, President Hu Jintao will pay state visits to Malaysia and Singapore from November 10 to 13. It is the first time for Hu Jintao in his capacity as the Chinese President to pay state visits to Malaysia and Singapore and the second time for a Chinese president to pay state visits to Malaysia and Singapore after the 15 years. The visits are of great significance to the comprehensive development of the relations between China and the two countries and between China and ASEAN. During his visit to Malaysia, President Hu will hold talks with Supreme Head of State Mizan and meet with Prime Minister Najib. During his visit to Singapore, President Hu will hold talks with President Nathan and meet respectively with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

China-Malaysia relations have seen comprehensive and profound development in recent years. The two sides kept frequent high-level exchanges, carried out productive cooperation in various fields including economy, trade, culture, education, and tourism, and maintained close non-governmental contacts. China and Malaysia maintained close communication and coordination in regional and international affairs. President Hu's visit will further deepen bilateral strategic cooperation and push forward the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations.

China and Singapore are friendly neighbors and the two peoples enjoy profound traditional friendship. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 19 years ago, the two sides have witnessed sustained and rapid development of bilateral relationship and fruitful cooperation in different areas. The mutual understanding and trust on major issues between the two sides are growing. During the visit to Singapore, President Hu will exchange views with Singaporean leaders on comprehensively deepening the bilateral friendly and mutually beneficial cooperative relationship and driving new progress for bilateral cooperation in key areas. The leaders will also have in-depth discussions on regional and international issues of common concern.

Yi Xiaozhun said that China maintained good economic and trade relations with Malaysia and Singapore. The three countries are important trade partners of each other. During President Hu’s visit to Malaysia, the two sides will sign a number of documents on economic and trade cooperation so as to further promote cooperation in such arenas as infrastructure development. During President Hu’s visit to Singapore, the two sides will have focused discussions in economic and trade areas on topics such as boosting bilateral trade and investment, promoting cooperation in key projects, and strengthening cooperation under the framework of regional and international economic and trade cooperation. President Hu's state visits to Malaysia and Singapore will further expand the economic and trade cooperation with Malaysia and Singapore, upgrade the level of cooperation, and promote the sustained and steady development of the comprehensive and friendly cooperation between China and the two countries.

II. President Hu’s Attendance of the 17th APEC Informal Leaders’ Meeting

He Yafei said at the invitation of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore, the host of APEC this year, President Hu Jintao will attend the 17th APEC Informal Leaders’ Meeting to be held in Singapore from November 14 to 15.

He Yafei said that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of APEC, which is the highest economic cooperation forum with the most comprehensive mechanisms in the Asia-Pacific region. Since its founding 20 years ago, APEC has played an important role in promoting regional trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, advancing regional economic integration, and achieving common prosperity. China, as a member of the Asia-Pacific community, always attaches importance to and actively participates in APEC cooperation in various fields. The Chinese presidents have attended all the APEC informal leaders’ meetings.

The adverse effects of the international financial crisis are not over yet. Although the world economy has shown some positive signs of recovery, recovery still lacks a solid foundation. Although the Asia-Pacific region is also affected by the crisis, the overall situation of the region is better than other regions; therefore the region has an important role to play in promoting a full recovery of the world economy. The Doha Round negotiations are full of twists and turns. Trade and investment protectionism is on the rise. Issues of global nature, such as climate change, food and energy security, have become increasingly prominent. Under the above-mentioned circumstances, the parties all attached top priority to this year's APEC meetings and had great expectations for the outcome.

He Yafei said that China hopes that this year's APEC leaders meeting could achieve positive results in the following areas: first, to put forward some specific cooperation plans in dealing with the international financial crisis and restoring economic growth so as to promote inclusive growth, sustainable growth and balanced growth of all parties; second, it is hoped that the meeting could send a clear and strong signal against protectionism in trade and investment and in support of the early achievement of comprehensive and balanced results in the Doha Round negotiations on the basis of locking existing results; third, to promote regional economic integration, improve trade and investment environment , push for new progress for developed members in achieving the Bogor goals by 2010; fourth, to continue to steadily promote the reform and institution-building of APEC, improve cooperation efficiency, enhance cooperation dynamisms, and constantly increase the role and impact of APEC.

He Yafei said that President Hu will attend the Informal Leaders’ Meeting, the dialogue between APEC leaders and the representatives of APEC Business Advisory Council, the APEC Business Summit and other activities. At the Informal Leaders’ Meeting, President Hu will elaborate on the opinions on how to address the international financial crisis and restore economic growth and the positions of the Chinese government on addressing issues of global nature such as climate change, food and energy security. He will also share the views on the future development of APEC. At the dialogue between APEC leaders and the representatives of APEC Business Advisory Council, President Hu will have an in-depth exchange of views with the business leaders on protectionism resistance, investment facilitation, climate change, regional economic integration and other issues. At the APEC Business Summit, President Hu will introduce the policies and measures adopted by China in response to the international financial crisis and elaborate on views and propositions of China on strengthening the Asia-Pacific cooperation, promoting economic growth, and revitalizing the world economy. During the meetings, President Hu Jintao will hold bilateral meetings with leaders of some members.

Yi Xiaozhun said that the APEC meetings are held against the backdrop that the combat against the global financial crisis comes at a critical juncture and the first year for the fulfillment of the Bogor Goals is approaching. The trade topics covered by the meetings include opposition to trade protectionism, support for the WTO Doha Round negotiations, sustainable growth related to trade issues, and promoting regional economic integration.

China insists on firmly opposing protectionism in trade and investment, actively promoting the WTO Doha Round negotiations, striving to achieve sustainable growth, and substantial fulfillment of the Bogor Goals by developed members. Over the past 20 years, APEC has achieved considerable results and accumulated some useful experience in promoting trade and investment liberalization and facilitation and boosting economic and technical cooperation. China is willing to continue to work with all parties to deepen cooperation, cope with the crisis, achieve the prosperity and development of all the economies in the Asia-Pacific region, and make greater contributions to the world economy.

III. U.S. President Barack Obama’s Visit to China

He Yafei said that at the invitation of President Hu Jintao, U.S. President Barack Obama will pay a state visit to China from November 15 to 18. During the visit, the two leaders will hold talks and meetings and have an in-depth exchange of views on China-U.S. relations and major regional and international issues of common interest. It will be President Obama's first visit to China and a major event in China-U.S. relations, therefore having great significance to the development of China-U.S. relations in the new era. China and the United States, as the two countries with important influence in the world, enjoy broad common interest and promising cooperation prospects on many major issues that involve the peace and development of mankind.

He Yafei said that in April in London, President Hu Jintao and President Obama reached important consensus on building a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship, which points out the direction for the development of China-U.S. relations in the new period. In September, the two leaders met again in New York, which injects a new impetus to the development of China-U.S. relations. China-U.S. relations are now at a new historical starting point, faced with important opportunities for development. China hopes that through this visit, the two heads of state will reaffirm the positioning of China-U.S. relationship in the 21st century as a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship and input important strategic connotations into the new positioning of China-U.S. relations. The two sides should maintain exchanges at all levels including high-level exchanges, enhance strategic mutual trust, strengthen cooperation and exchanges in economy, trade, counter-terrorism, law enforcement, energy, military, non-proliferation, culture, and other fields, and consolidate communication and coordination on major regional and international issues and issues of global nature such as the global financial crisis, climate change, nuclear security, food security. The two sides should respect and care for each other's core interests and major concerns.

With regard to China-U.S. cooperation to jointly cope with climate change, He Yafei said that the climate change issue is related to human survival and development, to which both countries attach great importance. During the UN climate change summit in September, President Hu Jintao expounded China's position on this issue and the measures to be taken by China. China has confidence in the achievement of positive results by the Copenhagen Conference. China and the U.S. have great room for cooperation on the front of climate change. China hopes that the two sides make concerted efforts to tackle climate change issue so as to make climate change a highlight of bilateral cooperation.

With respect to the positioning of China-U.S. relationship in the 21st century as a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship, He Yafei said that the positioning has pointed out the direction for the development of China-U.S. bilateral relations. It is the hope of the two governments and peoples that bilateral relations achieve positive progress and that the two sides care for each other's core interests, jointly push forward the development of bilateral relations, and safeguard the peace, stability and prosperity of the region and the world.