Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has postponed an official visit to
the Philippines which was originally scheduled for Dec. 13-14,
Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang announced in Beijing on
Sunday.
As the Dec. 11-13 summit for east Asian leaders has been
postponed to next January due to a strong typhoon, the Chinese and
Philippine sides have decided through negotiations to put off Wen's
visit, said Qin.
The organizing committee of the 12th Summit of the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) announced last Friday that the
date of the summit, originally slated for Dec. 10-14, was postponed
because of "a possible major weather disturbance."
Typhoon Utor ripped through the island country causing
widespread devastation.
According to an ASEAN official announcement Sunday morning, the
summit has been moved to Jan. 8-13 next year.
(Xinhua News Agency December 11, 2006)
