Top US official begins China visit
(AFP)
Updated: 2006-01-24 11:06

US Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick arrived in Beijing at the start of a three-day visit to China.

Robert Zoellick [AFP/file]

During his visit, Zoellick will meet with Premier Wen Jiabao and Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing "to exchange views on China-US relations and major international and regional issues of common concern," Xinhua news agency said.

Zoellick arrived in the Chinese capital from Japan, where his talks with government leaders were overshadowed by Tokyo's abrupt new ban on US beef over mad cow disease concerns.

The US State Department has said US concerns over the nuclear programmes of North Korea and Iran would be on the agenda of Zoellick's talks with Chinese leaders.

"I look forward to a good exchange of views in Beijing on security and proliferation issues -- particularly in Northeast Asia, and Iran" among other topics, Zoellick said in a statement last week.

He is also scheduled to travel to Chengdu in the southwestern province of Sichuan, where he will meet regional authorities and visit the Chengdu Panda Research Base, the State Department said.

From China, Zoellick is due to travel to the World Economic Forum summit in Davos, Switzerland.