At the invitation of Prime Minister Bertie Ahern of the Republic of Ireland, Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt of the Kingdom of Belgium, Prime Minister M.M. Kasyanov of the Government of Russian Federation and Prime Minister Kasymzhomart K. Tokayev of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji will pay an official visit to Ireland, Belgium, Russia and Kazakhastan from September 2 to 15.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Sun Yuxi made the announcement in Beijing Monday.
During his visit, Zhu will respectively attend the fourth Sino- European Summit meeting, the sixth regular meeting between the prime ministers of China and Russia and the first Prime Ministers' Meeting of the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Sun said.
During his visit, Premier Zhu will have an extensive and in- depth exchange of views with leaders of the above-mentioned four countries and the European Union on the development of bilateral relations and regional and international issues of common concern, Sun said.
The premier will also discuss with leaders of other member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization over economic and trade cooperation and the development of the organization, the spokesman said. Some important cooperation documents will be signed during the visit, Sun said.
Premier Zhu's visit will further promote the friendly cooperative relations between China and the aforesaid four countries and the EU, and enhance the healthy and steady development of the multilateral economic and trade cooperation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the new century, the spokesman said.
(Xinhua News Agency 08/20/2001)
