China's Hu Jintao to visit Africa, Saudi Arabia: govt

China announced on Tuesday that President Hu Jintao would visit Africa and Saudi Arabia in his first overseas trip of 2009.

China announced on Tuesday that President Hu Jintao would visit Africa and Saudi Arabia in his first overseas trip of 2009.

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Hu will travel to Mali, Senegal, Tanzania and Mauritius, as well as Saudi Arabia, from February 10 to 17, foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters.

His visit to Africa continues China's diplomatic and economic courtship of the resource-rich continent in recent years.

Hu last travelled to Africa in 2007, while Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi visited Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi and South Africa in January.