General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and President Hu Jintao left Beijing Monday morning for an official good-will visit to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Hu is visiting at the invitation of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nong Duc Manh and Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong.

Hu's entourage includes alternate member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee Wang Gang, Head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee Wang Jiarui, Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai, Director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee Wang Huning, Deputy Head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee Liu Hongcai, Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, Vice Minister of the State Development and Reform Commission Zhang Xiaoqiang, and Director of President's Office Chen Shiju.

(Xinhua News Agency October 31, 2005)