Chinese President Hu Jintao left Beijing Monday morning to begin a state visit to France, Egypt, Gabon and Algeria.  

Hu's entourage included his wife Liu Yongqing, State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, Director of the PolicyResearch Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party ofChina (CPC) Wang Huning, Deputy Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee Ling Jihua, Vice-Minister in charge of the State Development and Reform Commission Li Shenglin and Vice-Minister of Commerce Yu Guangzhou.

Hu was invited by French President Jacques Chirac, Egyptian President Muhammed Hosni Mubarak, Gabonese President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba, and Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. The visit will last until Feb. 4.

(Xinhua News Agency January 26, 2004)