Poor states not to blame for food price rise: China

SAPPORO, Japan (Reuters) - Chinese President Hu Jintao on Tuesday rejected a charge that growing demand from developing countries is to blame for soaring food prices.

"This is not a responsible attitude," Hu said in the northern Japanese city of Sapporo.

The spike in the cost of food had "added to the difficulties of the global poverty reduction efforts and affected regional stability", Hu added.

What was needed, he said, was a more favorable external environment for the growth of developing countries.

His remarks were distributed in English to reporters by Chinese embassy staff.

Hu was speaking after talks with the leaders of four other big emerging economies -- India, Mexico, Brazil and South Africa.

All five, which Hu said account for 42 percent of the world's population and 12 pct of global GDP, will attend the final day of the annual summit of the Group of Eight rich nations on Wednesday, when climate change will top the agenda.

Hu called for closer bilateral and multilateral cooperation among developing countries.

"World economic growth cannot be sustained if developing countries remain in a state of backwardness," he said.