Chinese Foreign Minister Begins His Official Visit To The Czech Republic

Tang Jiaxuan, foreign minister of the People's Republic of China, took a flight to the Czech Republic Saturday to make an official visit to that country. On April 23-27, the Chinese foreign minister will visit Ukraine. After that visit, he will fly to Russia to have scheduled talks with his Russian counterpart Igor Ivanov and the Russian leadership. Apart from major international issues, the Russian and Chinese foreign ministers will focus on preparations for the Shanghai-5 summit, which will be held in Shanghai in the middle of June, and also on the forthcoming visit to Moscow of the chairman of the People's Republic of China Jiang Zemin slated for July 2001. According to diplomatic sources in Beijing, the Moscow meetings will give a special attention to the Russian-Chinese Treaty on peace, friendship and cooperation which is expected to be signed by top leaders of Russia and China during Jiang Zemin's visit to Moscow. On April 28, Tang Jiaxuan will take part in the meeting of foreign ministers of the Shanghai-5, i.e., Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia and Tajikistan.

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