Biden to start Asian tour with China

  Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ma Zhaoxu announced on Monday that US Vice-President Joe Biden is set to pay an official visit to the People''s Republic of China on August 17-22. Biden is set to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao as well as Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping. The US Vice-President will also meet with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao to discuss bilateral relations in addition to discussing regional and international issues of joint interest. The White House announced on Wednesday that Biden will make an Asian tour that will include China, Mongolia and Japan. The statement said that "He (Biden) will visit China at the invitation of Vice-President Xi Jinping - the first of the planned reciprocal visits between the vice-presidents announced during President Hu Jintao''s state visit to Washington earlier this year," Chinese newspaper China Daily reported.