Campbell due in Beijing on N. Korea, other Obama-Hu summit agenda

Published : Jan 8, 2011 - 11:05 Updated : Jan 8, 2011 - 11:05

A senior U.S. official will travel to China early next week to discuss North Korea and other agenda items with Chinese President Hu Jintao's state visit to Washington scheduled for later this month, the State Department said Friday.

"Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt M. Campbell will travel to Beijing, China January 9-11, 2011," the department said in a statement. "Assistant Secretary Campbell will meet with senior officials in preparation for the state visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao to Washington, D.C. later this month."

North Korea will be high on the agenda at the Jan. 19 summit between U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao, along with the Chinese currency yuan's revaluation, Iran's nuclear ambitions and other issues of mutual and global issues, according to Obama aides.

U.S. Secretary of Hillary Clinton met with her Chinese and Japanese counterparts this week, and reaffirmed the need for the North to meet its obligations under a six-party deal signed in 2005 for its denuclearization in exchange for economic aid and diplomatic benefits.

(Yonhap News)