China and U.S.

Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo would meet with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in south China's Hainan Province, China's Foreign Ministry said on October 27.

Dai and Clinton are expected to discuss economic issues before November's G20 summit in Seoul. They will also discuss Chinese President Hu Jintao's state visit to the United States next year.

The U.S. State Department said the United States hopes to have a "strong, constructive relationship" with China.

Shortly before Clinton's visit was announced, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner made an unexpected visit to China's port city of Qingdao and talked with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan. The two reportedly discussed currency issues.

Visit enhances Sino-Italian ties

Italian President Giorgio Napolitano paid his first state visit to China on October 24-30.

Napolitano's six-day visit included stops in Beijing, Shanghai, Macao and Hong Kong. During his stay in Beijing, he held talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and met with other Chinese leaders, including top legislator Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao.

Both sides vowed to establish stronger ties. Napolitano expressed Italy's commitment to developing ties with China, saying Italy and Europe could not develop without first building closer links with China.

Italy would care for China's major concerns, enhance trade and economic cooperation and increase the exchange of visits, he said.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the Year of Chinese Culture in Italy.

China and Italy set up a "comprehensive strategic partnership" during Wen's official visit to Italy in May 2004. Bilateral trade volume in the first five months of this year reached $15.96 billion, increasing 34.3 percent, year on year.