Chinese President Jiang Zemin left Beijing Tuesday morning (Oct. 22) by special plane for a working visit to the United States. He will also attend the 10th Informal Leaders' Meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Los Cabos of Mexico.

Jiang was invited by US President George W. Bush for the working visit.

Those who saw Jiang off at the Great Hall of the People were Premier Zhu Rongji, Vice-President Hu Jintao, Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission Zhang Wannian, Member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Zeng Qinghong, Vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Zhou Guangzhao, Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Chen Jinhua, Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee Wang Gang, Director of the Central Foreign Affairs Office Liu Huaqiu, and Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Yang Wenchang.

Jiang's entourage included his wife Wang Yeping, Vice-Premier Qian Qichen and his wife Zhou Hanqiong, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, Minister of the State Development Planning Commission Zeng Peiyan, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Shi Guangsheng, Director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee Teng Wensheng, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Li Zhaoxing, Deputy Director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee Wang Huning, Deputy Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Central Guards Bureau You Xigui, among others.