The Chinese and Japanese prime ministers held an impromptu meeting in a hallway at a conference in Europe, in the highest-level contact between the countries since a bitter territorial dispute erupted a month ago, both governments confirmed Tuesday.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen will today address the seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Beijing.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen will today hold talks with Chinese premier Wen Jiabao on growing trade and bilateral relations between Ireland and China.

Leaders at a 38-nation Asia-Europe summit in Helsinki, Finland, stood in silence today, remembering those killed in the September 11 terror attacks five years ago in the United States.