China's Hu departs for first BRIC summit
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(FILES) This photo taken on September 8, 2004 shows Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) and his Gabonese counterpart Omar Bongo Ondimba reviewing an honor guard at the People's Palace in Beijing. (AFP HOTO / DESIREY MINKOH)
BEIJING (AFP) - Chinese President Hu Jintao left Beijing Sunday for Russia, where he will take part in the first official summit of the BRIC group of nations, which includes Brazil and India, state media reported.
Hu was accompanied by a delegation of senior leaders, including Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, the Xinhua news agency said.
The summit of BRIC leaders, on June 16 in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg, is the first of its kind and comes as the four rapidly-developing countries increase their clout amid the global financial crisis.
Hu's trip will incorporate a meeting on June 15 of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) -- a security-based grouping comprising Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan -- and a state visit to Russia from June 16 to 18.
After that, Hu will continue on state visits to Slovakia and Crotia on June 18 to 20. (AFP)
