Chinese leaders, including President Hu Jintao, paid visits to former leaders of the state and the Communist Party of China (CPC) to extend new year greetings as the traditional Spring Festival draws near.

These veteran leaders included former President and Party chief Jiang Zemin, former top legislators Li Peng, Wan Li and Qiao Shi, and former Premier Zhu Rongji.

The former leaders thanked Hu Jintao and other leaders for the visits and passed on their best wishes to the people of all ethnic groups in the country.

The Spring Festival, or China's Lunar New Year which falls on January 26 this year, is the country's most important annual event for family reunions.

(Xinhua News Agency January 23, 2009)