Beijing's support of US welcomed by Bush

There was warm praise yesterday from President Bush for the willingness of President Jiang Zemin of China to stand by the US at the present time, underlining the dramatic changes the September 11th attacks have had on Washington's relations with old Cold War adversaries, China and Russia.

"Not only is the Cold War over," the US Secretary of State, Mr Colin Powell, is quoted as saying, "the post-Cold War period is also over."

But traces of old animosities still linger at the Asian economic summit (APEC) which starts formally this morning and where the two leaders met bilaterally for the first time yesterday.

Taiwan is boycotting the meeting of leaders of 21 Asia Pacific countries over a Chinese snub to its president, while Mr Bush had blunt words for North Korea's President Kim Jong-il, telling him to "prove his worth" by agreeing to meet US officials.

Mr Jiang was standing "side-by-side with the American people as we fight this evil force," Mr Bush said in Shanghai.

"There's no hesitation, there's no doubt that they will stand with the United States and our people during this terrible time," he said of a man and regime that in recent months exchanged a bitter war of words over the shooting down of a US spy plane.

While journalists in Shanghai report a significant step forward in US-China relations, they talk of a potentially great leap forward in relations between the US and Russia following a meeting in the city on Thursday night between Mr Powell and the Russian Foreign Minister, Mr Igor Ivanov.

Talks between Russians and the US on a new strategic framework to allow the US proceed with testing elements of its controversial missile defence system have been brought back to life. This has been due to the new enthusiasm, post-September 11th, on the part of President Putin for a rethink of Russia's relations with the West.

He meets Mr Bush tomorrow and according to diplomatic sources recent discussions have created "favourable conditions" for a radical agreement.

Diplomats do not expect agreement in Shanghai but a substantial advance which could lay the basis for an accord when the two leaders meet again next month in Texas.

Along with its support for the US military campaign Russia is also offering its oil fields as a secure alternative to dependence on the turbulent Gulf.