President Jiang Leaves Beijing for Three-nation Asian Trip

President Jiang Zemin left Beijing Saturday afternoon by a special plane for a state visit to Laos, Cambodia and Brunei and attending the 8th Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders' Informal Meeting in Bandar Seri Begawan, capital city of Brunei.

Jiang's visit to the three Asian countries is at the invitation of Lao President Khamtay Siphandone, Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk and Brunei's Sultan and Head of State Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah.

Among those seeing President Jiang off at the Great Hall of the People were Premier Zhu Rongji, Vice-President Hu Jintao, Vice-Chairman Zhang Wannian of the Central Military Commission, Vice-Chairman Jiang Chunyun of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Vice-Chairman Ren Jianxin of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and other senior Chinese officials as well as diplomatic envoys of the three countries.



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