He will also visit Singapore and the United States.

During his three-day visit to Malaysia, Hu will meet Supreme Head of State Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin and Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and also hold talks with Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi.

In a prepared statement released on his arrival at Kuala Lumpur's airport, Hu said that China and Malaysia are good neighbors across the South China Sea and that the two peoples enjoy a long-standing traditional friendship.

"We have noted with joy the smooth development in our bilateral ties and fruitful results in our mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields in recent years,'' said Hu.

The vice-president said that both China and Malaysia are developing countries with shared views on many regional and international issues.

"The furtherance of our friendly and cooperative relations serves the fundamental interests of our two peoples and the stability and development of the region,'' said Hu.

During his visit in Singapore, Hu is expected to meet President S.R. Nathan, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

Hu's United States tour will take him to Honolulu in Hawaii, New York City, Washington DC and San Francisco. He is expected to meet US President George W. Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney in Washington.

Accompanying the Chinese vice-president are Vice-Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing; Vice-Minister of the State Development Planning Commission Liu Jiang; Ling Jihua, deputy director of the General Office of the Communist Party of China's Central Committee; Vice-Minister of Science and Technology Li Xueyong; Vice-Minister of Foreign Trade Ma Xiuhong; and Zheng Xinli, deputy director of the Policy Research Office of the Communist Party Central Committee.

(China Daily April 24, 2002)