A Foreign Ministry official told a press conference yesterday that explaining China's peaceful growth to politicians and the general public in the US will top President Hu Jintao's agenda when he visits there from September 5 to 8.

"China's development is peaceful. This peaceful development is conducive not only to the Chinese people, but also to the American people and the people of the world," said He Yafei, director of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs.

After his US trip, Hu will travel to Canada and Mexico from September 8 to 13 and back to New York on September 14 to attend the World Summit and other activities to mark the 60th anniversary of the UN.

He expressed hope that "through the visit, the American people and the people of the world will have a better understanding of China's peaceful development" and that "this will help improve China-US relations and relations between China and the rest of the world."

It will be Hu's first State trip to the US since becoming president in 2003.

In addition to visiting Seattle and Washington DC and delivering a speech at Yale University, he is also scheduled to meet US congress members, officials, businesspeople, academics and members of the general public, according to He.

On energy issues, He said China has been exploring the energy market in line with international rules. "The energy issue is one that every country is facing; China has no intention of scrambling for supplies with other countries."

China is willing to achieve mutually beneficial ends through cooperation on an equal footing, He said.

(Xinhua News Agency China Daily August 31, 2005)