Chinese President Hu Jintao left Beijing at noon Friday for state visits to Thailand, Australia and New Zealand at the invitation of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Australian Governor-General Michael Jeffery and New Zealand Governor-General Silvia Cartwright.

Meanwhile, Hu will also participate in the 11th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting scheduled for Oct. 20-21 in the Thai capital of Bangkok.

Hu's entourage includes his wife Liu Yongqing, Member of the Secretariat and Director of the General Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Wang Gang, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, Minister in charge of the State Development and Reform Commission Ma Kai, Director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee Wang Huning, and some other senior officials.

(Xinhua News Agency October 17, 2003)