Beijing - Chinese President Hu Jintao spoke to his US counterpart George W Bush, expressing hope that US efforts would help curb the global financial crisis, state media reported Wednesday.

The Chinese leader and Bush also discussed planned international financial summits and ways to strengthen international cooperation to stabilise financial markets in their Tuesday phone call.

Hu hoped that US measures to rein in the crisis "would take effect as soon as possible, restore investor confidence and prevent further expansion of the crisis," Xinhua news agency reported.

"The measures are conducive to the stability of the world economy and financial markets," Hu added, according to Xinhua.

Jakarta - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono left Jakarta on Wednesday morning for Beijing to make a five-day official visit to China, where he will attend the 7th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).

Yudhoyono, accompanied by his wife Ani Yudhoyono, and a number of cabinet ministers, including Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda, Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu, State Minister for Environment Rachmat Witoelar and Energy Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro.

Beijing - This week's largest ever gathering of Asian and European leaders was planned to focus on efforts to combat climate change and promote sustainable development, but those efforts now look likely to be overshadowed by the need to respond to the global financial turmoil.

Talks on the financial crisis are expected to be "very intense" between leaders of the 27 European and 16 Asian nations at the seventh biannual Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Beijing, Serge Abou, the EU ambassador to China, told reporters.

"The main thing is to come out with strong and united messages conveying confidence," Herve Ladsous, the French ambassador to China, said of the talks on global finance.

Beijing  - Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung continued his first tour of China Tuesday, arriving in Beijing for several days of summits and signing ceremonies.

During his stay, Dung is scheduled to meet with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. The two are to sign documents about cooperative projects between the two countries, according to Nguyen Vinh Quang, Vietnam's minister to China.

Dung is also set to participate in the seventh summit of the Asia- Europe Meeting (ASEM), scheduled for October 24-25.

Beijing, Oct. 21: The global meltdown has affected China''s booming economy too.

A CBS report says that while the Chinese economy is still growing, it is doing so at its slowest pace since 2003.

It quoted the National Statistics Bureau as saying on Monday that the economy has expanded by just nine percent in the third quarter, the slowest rate since 2003. By comparison, the economy grew 10.6 percent in the first quarter and 10.1 percent in the second quarter of 2008.

The government is still drafting specifics of broad plans to help counter the chill on the world''s fastest growing major economy.

New Delhi - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday embarked on a trip to Japan and China, where he was scheduled to attend the seventh Asia-Europe summit.

During his official engagements in Japan, which begin Wednesday, Singh is to hold talks with the country's new prime minister, Taro Aso, to assess the global economic crisis and ways to deal with it.

The two leaders were also to discuss cooperation on political and security issues and hold talks to finalize a broad-based economic partnership.