Yesterday saw the much anticipated G20 seminar on the international monetary system meeting in Nanjing. The event, held at the Sofitel Zhongshan golf resort has as its focus a discussion of ways of reforming the monetary system including options that might remove the US dollar from its position as the worlds major reserve currency. The most interesting and high level speech given on the topic is to be by US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner (See here for a link to the transcript to his speech).
On another note though, after his arrival from Beijing at Lukuo airport on Wednesday night Nicolas Sarkozy, the President of France was whisked away to the hotel where he was to stay the note. As is now tradtional for the President, after a light dinner, Mr Sarkozy went for his customary jog. His route took him around Purple mountain and onto the Eastern edge of Xuanwu lake. Surrounded by his security detail, the President continued around Xuanwu lake completing one complete lap before meeting his car at the Eastern edge of the lake and driving back to the hotel. Rumours that his wife, former supermodel and musician Carla Bruni was attempting to skype him are unconfirmed at this time. It seems Mr Sarkozy was very much taken by the scenic beauty of the areas he passed through and has requested that the French consulate in Shanghai take a long term lease covering the period up to the 2014 Youth Olympics of a suite at the newly opened Westin Hotel overlooking Xuanwu lake. A return trip is pencilled in for early July when Mr Sarkozy and his wife will return to Nanjing for a personal trip, sites he will visit include the Nanjing Massacre museum, the museum of Brocade and famous local restaurant
