China's Hu to visit Washington, Cuba

Chines President Hu Jintao will attend the G-20 summit of government leaders in Washington later this month, to discuss tackling the world financial crisis, before heading south to visit U.S. ideological foe Cuba.

Chines President Hu Jintao will attend the G-20 summit of government leaders in Washington later this month, to discuss tackling the world financial crisis, before heading south to visit U.S. ideological foe Cuba.

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The meeting may bring Hu's first chance to meet the new U.S. President-elect, but he will also face pressure for China to play a larger role in efforts to soften the impact of the worsening financial storm, particularly on the most vulnerable economies.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and others have called for countries with "substantial reserves", such as China, to contribute more to the International Monetary Fund.

Beijing has kept the door open to greater participation, with a vague yet positive offer last week to consider pitching in, but has not spelled out what it might expect in return.

After the Washington Summit Hu will head south to Peru for the meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a regular news conference on Tuesday.

Castro may be hoping for Chinese help to weather the global financial crisis, which has come as a painful blow to the small island nation, already reeling from two powerful hurricanes and soaring import prices.