North Korea likely to be an Obama-Hu topic

BEIJING, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- China has confirmed a Jan. 18-21 U.S. visit by President Hu Jintao that will include a meeting with President Barack Obama.

A formal one-paragraph announcement was carried by Xinhua Friday. The White House earlier announced the visit.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the main topics of discussion at the meeting are expected to include North Korea and U.S.-China trade.

China is considered North Korea's close friend. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have escalated with rising provocations from the North, which have included the suspected sinking of a South Korean naval vessel and November's shelling of a South Korean island.

In New York, visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Hu's visit will promote further growth of Sino-U.S. relations and that efforts from both sides will have a major positive impact in safeguarding world peace and stability.

Obama, who met Yang earlier when he joined a White House meeting between the Chinese visitor and U.S. National Security Adviser Tom Donilon, said he is committed to building a bilateral relationship "that is comprehensive in scope, positive in achievement, and cooperative in nature."

The United States has stressed the importance of reducing imbalances in both the global economy and U.S.-China trade, preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program.

Hu's visit will follow this week's trip to Asia by Stephen Bosworth, U.S. special envoy for North Korean policy. Bosworth visited Seoul, Beijing and Tokyo to explore ways to restart the stalled six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear disarmament.