Aziz arrives in Beijing

A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz was due to arrive in Beijing on Thursday in a visit aimed at receiving China's backing in confrontation of the recent resolution approved by the UN Security Council concerning Iraq.

AFP quoted the spokesman as saying that Aziz will meet today with several high-ranking Chinese officials to discuss relations between the two countries.

Russia, France and China abstained from voting when the resolution was adopted. The resolution was criticized by Iraq, but was not refused by it.