Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived in Washington on Monday to attend the Nuclear Security Summit, which will mainly discuss how to prevent acts of nuclear terrorism.

At the April 12-13 summit, which was initiated by U.S. President Barack Obama, leaders are expected to mainly discuss the threat posed by nuclear terrorism and measures that can secure vulnerable nuclear materials.

In a speech in Prague last April, Obama described nuclear terrorism as the most immediate and extreme threat to global security and called for a new international effort to secure all vulnerable nuclear materials around the world within four years.

"We must also build on our efforts to break up black markets, detect and intercept materials in transit, and use financial tools to disrupt this dangerous trade," he said while proposing the nuclear security summit.

During a phone conversation with Obama on April 2, President Hu said that China attaches great importance to the issue of nuclear security, opposing nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism and supporting international efforts to enhance cooperation on nuclear security.

China is willing to work closely with the United States and other sides concerned so as to make sure that the summit is successful and fruitful, he said.

According to Chinese diplomats, at the summit, Hu will deliver a speech that will stress the importance of nuclear security for the sustained development of nuclear energy and world security and stability and elaborate on China's nuclear security policy and practices. Hu will also put forward proposals for cooperation in coping with international nuclear security challenges.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang has described the summit as "an important multilateral meeting."

"We hope the summit will achieve a consensus by all countries on nuclear security and yield positive results," Qin said.

The White House said that leaders or representatives from 47 countries, including the Untied States, will participate in the summit. The United Nations, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the European Union will also take part in the conference, it added.

In Washington, Hu and Obama will meet on bilateral ties and other important issues of mutual interest.

From Washington, President Hu will travel on to Brasilia, Brazil, to attend the second summit of the BRIC nations -- Brazil, Russia, India and China -- and will pay a state visit to Brazil.

At the BRIC meeting, leaders of the four countries will discuss the global economy and financial conditions, issues related to G20, reform of the international financial system, climate change, and cooperation among the four countries, Chinese diplomats said.

Hu will also pay a state visit to Venezuela and a working visit to Chile following the Brazil trip.