Chinese president brings economic opportunity, risk in first visit to Cana

[CHIMO]

Chinese president brings economic opportunity, risk in first visit to Canada

OTTAWA (CP) - Canada welcomed the gatekeeper of the world's fastest growing economy Thursday, rolling out the red carpet for Chinese President Hu Jintao's first visit to North America.

The 10-day junket, which will take Hu from Ottawa to Mexico City, the United Nations in New York and finally Vancouver, comes at a critical juncture in global economic development.

China is on the cusp of becoming a predominant economic superpower, and its headlong rush poses both grave dangers and huge opportunities for markets around the world.

Hu and his entourage, which includes the Chinese central bank governor, will be wooing investors and seeking inroads into North America's resource sector - particularly energy, minerals and lumber - while attempting to reassure a skittish West about China's looming superpower status.

http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=36f2d66f-7dfa-4c11-a001-1e1a989c65db