Chinese President Jiang Zemin left Beijing Monday to attend two summits and pay state visit to four European countries.
Jiang is to attend the summit meeting of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia held in Alma-Ata and the Second Summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organization held in St. Petersburg, and pay state visits to Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and Iceland.
The Chinese President made the visit at the invitation of President Nursultan Abishevich Nazarbayev of the Republic of Kazakhstan, President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin of the Russian Federation, President Vaira Vike-Freiberga of the Republic of Latvia, President Arnold Ruutel of the Republic of Estonia, President Valdas Adamkus of the Republic of Lithuania, and President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson of the Republic of Iceland.
Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, Vice-President Hu Jintao, other senior officials and diplomatic envoys from the six related countries, saw Jiang and his delegation off at the Great Hall of the People.
Jiang's entourage include his wife Wang Yeping, Vice-Premier Qian Qichen, and other senior officials.
(Xinhua News Agency June 3, 2002)
