Chinese President Hu Jintao left Beijing on Monday for state visits to the Republic of Korea (ROK),Tajikistan and Turkmenistan from Aug. 25 to 30.

Hu is invited by ROK President Lee Myung-bak, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rakhmon, and President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.

Hu will also attend the eighth annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to be held on Aug. 28 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan's capital.

(Xinhua News Agency August 25, 2008)