Beijing: Chinese President Hu Jintao will embark on his maiden foreign trip on May 26 to meet with a galaxy of world leaders including Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and US President George Bush to cement Beijing's relations with its neighbours as well as the major powers and also launch himself on to the global political stage.

"The trip will be the first since Hu took office as President and of great significance," a senior Chinese official commented ahead of the Euro-Asian trip that would take Hu to Russia, France, Kazkhstan and Mongolia from May 26 to June 5.

"The visits are important in terms of bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, China's relations with neighbouring, major developed and developing countries, and fully implementing China's foreign policy," Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Guchang said.

Hu, who took over as head of state in mid-March from his predecessor, Jiang Zemin, is also the General Secretary of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC).

The first meeting between Vajpayee and Hu is scheduled to take place in the historic Russian city of St Petersburg next week, Liu said.

Vajpayee, Hu, Bush and a galaxy of other world leaders are scheduled to attend the 300th anniversary celebrations of St Petersburg at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

PTI