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China, Australia discuss security Bush and Hu hold 'friendly' talks
(about 5 hours later)
Australia and China will hold annual security summits, their leaders have announced after talks in Sydney. US President George Bush has held talks with his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao in the Australian city of Sydney.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Chinese President Hu Jintao also signed deals in a number of areas, including energy and extradition. Mr Bush described the talks as friendly despite the fact they tackled thorny issues including religious freedom, climate change and exchange rates.
The two men were meeting ahead of a weekend summit of Asia-Pacific leaders. Few details have emerged so far, but Mr Bush said Mr Hu was "quite articulate" over the issue of product safety.
Later Mr Hu is due to hold talks with US President George W Bush, who is also in Sydney for the summit. This contentious topic was highlighted recently by a series of recalls of Chinese-made products.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is due to arrive in Sydney later in the week. He is currently in Indonesia finalising a $1bn (£500m) arms deal. Mr Hu and Mr Bush were meeting ahead of a summit of Asia-Pacific leaders.
Security ties
While the official leaders' meetings are not due to take place until the weekend, several bilateral discussions have already taken place on the sidelines of the 21-nation Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) forum.
During their meeting on Thursday, Mr Hu and Mr Howard agreed to hold annual security summits, which Mr Hu said would "increase our dialogue and co-operation on major regional and international issues concerning peace and development". While the official leaders' meetings of the 21-nation Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) forum are not due to take place until the weekend, several bilateral discussions have already taken place on the sidelines.
Map of key locations In recent months, Australia, Japan and the US have been strengthening security co-operation, in a move that has worried China. Map of key summit locations
But Mr Howard said there was no hidden agenda. Australian Prime Minister John Howard met Mr Hu earlier on Thursday, and the two countries agreed to hold annual security summits.
Hu in product safety vow In pictures: Apec leaders Apec seeks to silence critics
"The trilateral dialogue between Australia, Japan and the US is not directed at anyone, any more than the strategic dialogue I have just announced between Australia and China is not directed at anyone," he said.
The two sides signed a number of deals aimed at improving ties, including one to send two giant pandas to Adelaide Zoo.
Talks with Bush
Later on Thursday, Mr Hu is due to hold talks with Mr Bush, who has told journalists he wants to have "a good honest, candid discussion" with his Chinese counterpart.
Issues such as product safety, climate change and security are expected to be on the agenda.
Mr Hu addressed the issue of the safety of Chinese-made products at his news conference with Mr Howard.
China took product safety "very seriously" and was willing to work with the international community to step up quality inspections and examinations, he said.
Mr Bush, meanwhile, began his day by meeting Australian opposition leader Kevin Rudd.Mr Bush, meanwhile, began his day by meeting Australian opposition leader Kevin Rudd.
Mr Rudd is far ahead of Mr Howard in opinion polls with a general election due later this year. He wants to withdraw Australian troops from Iraq, in contrast to Mr Howard, who has been a staunch supporter of US policy on Iraq.Mr Rudd is far ahead of Mr Howard in opinion polls with a general election due later this year. He wants to withdraw Australian troops from Iraq, in contrast to Mr Howard, who has been a staunch supporter of US policy on Iraq.
Mr Rudd described the meeting as "a wide-ranging, good-natured, very open discussion", while a White House spokesman said that the two had had "a good session". Olympic invitation
Security is extremely tight in Sydney, with a number of protests expected on Thursday. Larger demonstrations are expected at the weekend. Mr Bush acknowledged ahead of the meeting that the US and China had a "complex relationship", and said he would be "darned sure" to raise contentious matters during the bilateral talks.
A 5km (three mile) barrier has been erected across the city's central business district and more than 5,000 police and troops are patrolling the streets. But after their 90-minute meeting, Mr Bush described his Chinese counterpart as "an easy man to talk to," saying: "I'm very comfortable in my discussions with President Hu."
Mr Hu, in return, called the talks "candid and friendly".
The US president was invited to next year's Olympic Games in Beijing, an invitation which he said he was "anxious to accept".
Hu in product safety vow In pictures: Apec leaders Apec seeks to silence critics
The two men did not take questions after their session, but both spoke briefly to reporters.
"We talked about Iran and North Korea and Sudan. We talked about climate change and our desire to work together on climate change," Mr Bush said.
Mr Hu added that they had also discussed increasing trade ties between their two countries.
Meanwhile, other leaders from the Apec nations are gathering in Sydney ahead of the weekend summit.
Security is extremely tight in the city, with large demonstrations expected at the weekend.
A 5km (three-mile) barrier has been erected across the city's central business district and more than 5,000 police and troops are patrolling the streets.
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