Egyptian, Chinese presidents hold talks

Chinese President Hu Jintao met his Egyptian counterpart, Mohammed Morsi, Tuesday for talks that were expected to focus on trade and the crisis in Syria, according to dpa. Morsi was accompanied on his three-day visit, his first to China since taking office in June, by about 80 Egyptian business executives. He was scheduled to attend a business forum and meet Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice President Xi Jinping, who was expected to succeed Hu as China's Communist Party leader this year. Morsi wanted to build closer ties with China, Iran, and African and Gulf nations to develop more 'balanced foreign relations,' presidential spokesman Yasser Ali said before Morsi left Cairo. 'Morsi's visit to China has a political aspect, including finding a solution to the Syrian crisis, and an economic aspect, including increasing Chinese investments in Egypt,' Ali said.