Local leaders from China, C&E Europe to meet in SW China

A conference of local leaders from China and central and east European countries will be held in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality from July 2 to 4, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman announced Monday.

Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and his Romanian counterpart Victor-Viorel Ponta will attend the conference, as well as meet President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang on a separate trip to Beijing, spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a daily news briefing.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, another attendee who was scheduled to visit China from July 3 to 6, will absent due to domestic issues, Hua said.