Chinese President Leaves for Five-Nation Trip

Chinese President Jiang Zemin left Beijing on April 12 morning by a special plane to kick off his state visit to Israel, Palestine, Turkey, Greece and South Africa.

Jiang is on the visit at the invitation of President Ezer Weizman of the State of Israel, President Yasser Arafat of the State of Palestine, President Suleyman Demirel of the Republic of Turkey, President Costis Stephanopoulos of the Republic of Greece, and President Thabo Mbeki of the Republic of South Africa.

During the visit, Jiang will go to Alexandria, Egypt, to meet with President Muhammed Hosni Mubarak of the Arab Republic of Egypt at Mubarak's invitation.

Those who saw Jiang and his delegation off at the Great Hall of the People included Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, Vice President Hu Jintao, National People's Congress Standing Committee Vice- Chairman Tian Jiyun, Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Wannian, Member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Zeng Qinghong, Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee Vice Chairman Wan Guoquan, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, Minister in charge of Central Foreign Affairs Office Liu Huaqiu, and Deputy Director of the General Office of CPC Central Committee Bai Keming, as well as diplomatic envoys from the above-mentioned six countries.

Accompanying Jiang on the visit are Jiang's wife Wang Yeping, Vice Premier Qian Qichen and his wife Zhou Hanqiong, State Councilor Wu Yi, Director of the General Office of CPC Central Committee Wang Gang, Minister in charge of the State Development Planning Commission Zeng Peiyan, Director of the Policy Research Office of CPC Central Committee Teng Wensheng, Vice Foreign Minister Ji Peiding, Deputy Director of the General Office of CPC Central Committee and Director of the Central Guards Bureau You Xigui, Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Sun Guangxiang, Special Assistant Wang Huning and Director of President Jiang's Office Jia Ting'an.



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