China's Hu leaves for US trip

BEIJING, Apr 18 (Reuters) China's President Hu Jintao left for the United States today, Xinhua news agency reported, for a visit aimed at defusing tensions over trade, Taiwan and allaying US fears about China's strategic ambitions.

The highlight of the four-day tour will be a summit on Thursday with President George W. Bush. But the Chinese president starts his first official US visit in Seattle, where he will tour a production plant of Boeing Co and dine with Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft Corp. and the world's richest man.

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