TOKYO, Feb 26 (KUNA) — US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Beijing Tuesday, starting her two-day visit to China, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
During the visit, Chinese President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and State councilor Tang Jiaxuan will meet Rice, respectively. Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi will also hold talks with her, according to Xinhua.
During Rice’s visit China, both sides would exchange views “on bilateral relations and the significant regional and international issues of common concern,” according to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao.
“The ultimate aim is to push for the healthy, steady and sustainable development of China-US relations,” Liu said.
Making her first visit to China in more than a year, Rice came to Beijing after her visit to South Korea where she attended the inauguration ceremony of new President Lee Myung-bak on Monday. She will travel to Tokyo on Wednesday.
Before embarking on a three-nation Asian tour, Rice urged Pyongyang to come clean on its suspected highly enriched uranium program, saying her talks with the leaders of the three countries will primarily focus on how to grapple with North Korea’s nuclear programs within the six-party framework.
The six-party talks, aimed at ending Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions and chaired by China, involve North and South Korea, the US, Japan and Russia.