Official foreign tours by China's top leaders to Africa, Middle East, Latin America and Europe highlight “confidence, friendship and cooperation.”

Top officials from the Chinese government have been busy visiting or preparing for trips to Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Europe.

Premier Wen Jiaobao latest European trip has boosted confidence in the two regions joint efforts at tackling the global financial crisis, reported Xinhua today.

Chinese Preisdent Hu Jintao will visit Saudi Arabia, Mali, Senegal, Tanzania and Mautitius from Feb 10th to Feb 17th.

Vice President Xi Jinping left yesterday on Sunday to meet Vice Premier Hui Liangyu (below) for his own official visits to Mexico, Jamaica, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Malta.

Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu (2nd L) is greeted upon his arrival in
Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Feb. 8, 2009.(Xinhua/Martin Zabala)

Jia Qingguo, associate dean of the School of International Studies at Peking University, told the Beijing-based Global Times newspaper that “the international community expects China's greater involvement in international affairs and a greater international responsibility for China.”

On the other hand, "it signifies that China is placing a greater emphasis on cooperation with the rest of the world, which has an important bearing on our own interests," Jia said.

Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu (L) is greeted upon his arrival in
Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Feb. 8, 2009. (Xinhua/Martin Zabala)

Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao gets shoe thrown at him in UK -- Reuters

President Bush isn't the only one getting shoes tossed his way. Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao was in Europe yesterday giving a speech at Cambridge University in the UK when a protester in the audience threw a show at him, calling Wed a "dictator."

China's foreign ministry spokeswoman denounced the actions of the protester and hailed the Prime Minister trip to Europe as a important step forward in Sino-European relations.



Seems like throwing shows is becoming a popular way to express your anger and discontent towards an individual. It becomes all the more meaningful considering a great many cultures and people in the world also think of it as the "ultimate insult."

Leaders be ware...