Chinese PM to start a 4 nation EU tour on April 20

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will start a European tour from April 20 to 27 which will take him to each of Iceland, Sweden and Poland and attend the world's leading industrial expo in Germany, it has been announced, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said on Friday. During the visit, Wen will meet leaders of each country to exchange views on bilateral ties and international and regional issues of common concern, make contact with people of economic and business circles, deliver speeches to elaborate on China's opening-up policy and raise proposals on promoting bilateral ties and Sino-EU economic and trade cooperation, spokesman Liu further said according to state- run news agency (Xinhua). According to Liu, while staying in Germany, Wen will attend the opening ceremony of the Hanover Fair, as China is the event's partner country this year. The visits will further advance China's ties with the four European countries and the Sino-EU relationship, Liu added. Wen's visit comes at the invitation of Icelandic Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.