Thursday, October 24, 2002. Posted: 13:55:43 (AEDT)

(Australian Broadcasting Corporation) Chinese President Jiang Zemin has arrived in Texas for talks with his United States counterpart George W Bush.

He flew into Houston from Chicago on the second leg of his US trip.

This visit is expected to be the farewell appearance of the 76-year-old Chinese leader on the international stage.

It is understood he will begin a phased retirement next month.

The subjects topping his agenda with President Bush will be North Korea, Iraq, terrorism, trade and human rights.

As with President Jiang's arrival in Chicago, dozens of supporters of the spiritual movement that is banned in China, Falungong, were near his hotel in Houston when he arrived.

While mounted police looked on, they held up banners with messages such as "Falungong Practitioners Tortured to Death" and "Stop Persecution of Falungong".

http://abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s710021.htm