Chinese President Hu Jintao offered the world’s poorest countries tariff-free trade, debt relief and cheap loans on Wednesday — but excluded about a dozen states which recognize China’s rival Taiwan.
Hu used his speech at a United Nations summit to underscore fast-growing China’s support for the developing world, calling on rich countries to open markets, forgive debt and boost aid to the least developed countries — 50 mostly African states.
But the Chinese leader, who on Tuesday prodded U.S. President George W. Bush to help curb independence sentiment in Taiwan, also used the U.N. summit to wage Beijing’s diplomatic battle against the self-ruled island.
See also “Hu: China to provide US$10b for poor countries” from Xinhua and “Taiwan issue crucial to relations, Hu tells Bush” from the Globe and Mail.
