中國網站品牌欄目（頻道）
President Hu Jintao left for Vienna on Sunday as China's role in helping the debt-ridden eurozone comes under the global spotlight.
The visit to Austria, from October 30th to November 2nd, is the first by a Chinese president in 12 years.
Hu will also attend the Cannes G20 meeting, when world leaders will address the global economic situation and the EU debt crisis.
Talks will be held with his Austrian counterpart, President Heinz Fischer, as well as with the Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann and the Speaker of the Parliament Barbara Prammer.
China's Ambassador to Austria, Shi Mingde, told China Daily that Austria has arranged "unusual protocol" engagements for Hu, with both presidents leaving the capital Vienna to visit the world-famous city of culture, Salzburg.
"The visit is significant in the context of the worsening European debt crisis," Shi said. "It will have a profound impact on China-Europe relations."
Hu's visit to Europe, including the G20 summit, has raised hopes that China might make a firmer commitment to the European bailout fund.
China and Austria will sign seven intergovernmental framework agreements on economic and trade matters, the environment, water conservation, education and culture during Hu's visit, according to Vice-Foreign Minister Fu Ying.
Austria has advanced technology in environmental protection, new energies and materials, which are high on China's development agenda.
China "hopes that the green economy will become a new growth point", Fu said, adding that China is also interested in green transport, eco-agriculture and life sciences.
China is Austria's largest trading partner outside the EU, with trade worth $6.1 billion last year, a 26-percent increase from 2009.
Trade in the first eight months of this year reached $4.6 billion, up 18.4 percent year-on-year. During the past three years, bilateral trade has been growing by an average of 30 percent each year.
Among the deals to be signed will be one between an Austrian art company and the China Arts and Entertainment Group to boost Chinese arts in Austria and other parts of Europe.
It will be signed against the backdrop of the Chinese leadership recently deciding to boost its cultural sector in line with the country's standing as the world's second-largest economy.
Lu said Hu's schedule reflects the spirit of the recent high-profile Party meeting that emphasized the rising significance of culture in boosting soft power.
（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）
About the broadcaster:
Emily Cheng is an editor at China Daily. She was born in Sydney, Australia and graduated from the University of Sydney with a degree in Media, English Literature and Politics. She has worked in the media industry since starting university and this is the third time she has settled abroad - she interned with a magazine in Hong Kong 2007 and studied at the University of Leeds in 2009.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
