China today welcomed plans for an international summit next month on the global financial crisis, saying the world must unite to face down the economic troubles.
"China's view is that the world community should, through consultations on an equal basis, increase cooperation to jointly face the current financial crisis and safeguard the stability of the world's economic and financial system," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters in Beijing.
"China attaches importance to the relevant proposal for an international financial summit and will give it positive consideration."
Qin, however, declined to confirm outright whether China would attend. President George W Bush will host the unprecedented summit of leaders from the world's richest nations and biggest emerging economies in Washington on November 15, the White House said on yesterday.
The G20 comprises the seven major industrialised nations -- Britain, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Germany and the United States -- plus Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea and Turkey. It also takes in the 27-nation European Union.
The groups economies account for 90% of world economic activity and about two-thirds of the globe's population.
Such summits are usually planned a year in advance, but the White House has said the financial crisis calls for quick