Hu is the guest of the Malaysian government, Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and US Vice President Richard Cheney.
Among those who saw him off at the Great Hall of the People were Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen and other senior officials, plus diplomatic envoys of the three countries.
Hu's entourage include his wife Liu Yongqing, Vice Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, Vice Minister in Charge of the State Development Planning Commission Liu Jiang, Assistant Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee Ling Jihua, Vice Minister of Science and Technology Li Xueyong, Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Ma Xiuhong and Assistant Director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee Zheng Xinli.