(Virtual China News, Oct. 25) U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers and Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji met and discussed economic issues as well as China's efforts to join the World Trade Organization, in talks Summers called "useful, warm and candid," wire services reported.

The meeting, in the city of Lanzhou, was the first cabinet-level visit from the U.S. to China since NATO bombed the Chinese embassy in Belgrade in May.

Summers, who had downplayed hopes for any breakthrough or announcement on China's WTO bid before his visit, described his discussion with Zhu on the subject in only the broadest terms.

"Premier Zhu told me of China's continued commitment to financial sector and state-owned enterprise reforms, so critical to improving its economic efficiency," Summers said, according to the Associated Press.

On Monday, Summers will attend a meeting of the China-U.S. Joint Economic Committee, and is later scheduled to meet Finance Minister Xiang Huaicheng, and the governor of the People's Bank of China, China's central bank, Dai Xianglong.

This report is based on news compiled from reports by the Associated Press, the Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and other wire services.