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China will help push forward global trade talks

(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-11-17 07:32

China will play its role to expedite global trade talks, President Hu Jintao has told his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

In a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit on Financial Markets and the World Economy on Saturday, Hu said the Doha round of trade talks under the World Trade Organization had entered a crucial stage and China is ready to work with Brazil to push for progress.

Lula said the Doha round offers important opportunities and countries should display flexibility to reach an agreement.

World leaders agreed at the G20 summit that governments should not erect trade barriers at a time of a global economic slowdown.

Lula praised China's role at the summit, as well as the country's efforts to expand domestic demand and promote economic growth.

In his meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Hu said China is willing to work with other nations to cope with the financial crisis.

Hu said that although countries worldwide have adopted a series of measures to cope with it, "the situation remains grim". Medvedev agreed, saying the Russian economy is slowing because of the "unprecedented" crisis.

In a meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Hu said the international community should work together to contain the spread of the crisis.

The United States is the first leg of Hu's five-nation tour, which will also take him to Costa Rica, Cuba, Peru and Greece. In Peru, he will attend the Economic Leaders' Informal Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Lima.