Chinese FM to attend Asia-Europe FMs' Meeting

BEIJING, May 19 -- Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi will

attend the ninth Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers' Meeting as guest of his

Vietnamese counterpart Pham Gia Khiem.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu made the announcement at a

regular press briefing here on Tuesday.

The ninth meeting, slated for May 25-26 in Hanoi of Vietnam, will focus on

deepening Asia-Europe partnership and address the global financial crisis as

well as other global challenges.

Ma said China expects the meeting to turn the achievements of the seventh

Asia-Europe Meeting held in Beijing last year and its follow-up proposals into

practice, and send to the world a strong signal of Asia-Europe bond in tackling

the global downturn.

"We also hope the meeting would help enhance trust and cooperation between

the two continents, and push forward Asia-Europe partnership," he added.

The meeting is the first gathering of foreign ministers and delegations

from 45 ASEM members, according to the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry.