Lima  - Chinese President Hu Jintao, addressing business leaders Friday in Lima ahead of the annual APEC Leaders' Meeting, said that the current economic crisis presents the world with a major challenge.

"The situation is very grim," Hu said.

The crisis has spread "from some areas of the world to the entire globe, from developed countries to emerging countries and from the financial sector to the real economy," he said.

Lima  - Chinese leader Hu Jintao, addressing business leaders Friday in Lima ahead of the annual APEC Leaders' Meeting, said that the current economic crisis presents the world with a major challenge.

"The situation is very grim," Hu said.

The crisis has spread "from some areas of the world to the entire globe, from developed countries to emerging countries and from the financial sector to the real economy," he said.

Taipei  - Taiwan's ex-president Lien Chan and Chinese President Hu Jintao, in Peru for the upcoming APEC summit, will meet Friday amid signs of improved ties between Taiwan and China, according to a TV report.

Lien and Hu will meet at the Delfines Hotel in Lima, where Hu is staying, at 10:45 am Friday (1545 GMT), cable TV channel TVBS reported, quoting an unnamed Chinese source as confirming the meeting.

The Lien-Hu meeting will be open to the press, TVBS said.

Havana  - Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived for a visit to Cuba hours after the two countries had signed a series of economic agreements.

Hu, who last visited the Caribbean island in 2004, arrived Monday in Havana for a two-day stay that is to have an economic focus.

A statement by Cuba's government said the trip was a gesture of the deep friendship between the two Communist countries.

San Jose, Costa Rica - Chinese President Hu Jintao is set to visit Costa Rica beginning Sunday, as part of the first visit by a Chinese leader travels to Central America.

"It will be a historic visit," a Costa Rican Foreign Ministry official told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

The trip is part of a five-nation trip by Hu to the United States, Costa Rica, Cuba, Peru and Greece that will include attendance at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation 

San Jose, Costa Rica - Chinese President Hu Jintao is set to visit Costa Rica beginning Sunday, in the first visit by a Chinese leader travels to Central America.

"It will be a historic visit," a Costa Rican Foreign Ministry official told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

Central America has traditionally favoured Taiwan, but Costa Rica switched recognition to China in June 2007, after 63 years of ties with Taipei. Only 23 countries recognize Taiwan, and half of them are in Latin America and the Caribbean.