Having gained new credibility at home for the decisive and more open way in which he has handled the Sars crisis in recent weeks, a confident President Hu Jintao ventures overseas this week on a four-country sojourn - his first trip abroad since becoming China's president in March. Mr Hu's 11-day overseas debut will allow world leaders, including those of Russia, France, the US, Japan and India, to take his measure. It will also test the diplomatic skills of China's new leader as he emerges on the world stage and engages in personal diplomacy involving such delicate issues as the North Korean nuclear crisis and relations between developing and developed countries. Mr Hu has shown that he prefers a less formal, businesslike style. His departure from Beijing for Moscow on Monday was marked by an absence of protocol, as China ended its traditional practice of holding ceremonies to see off and meet leaders when they leave or return to the country. Mr Hu's trip will also see China's participation for the first time in a meeting of the Group of Eight industrialised countries on June 1 in Evian, France. China had previously turned down invitations to join meetings of the organisation, which groups the world's advanced industrial countries and which increasingly is being seen as the forum at which major decisions are made. However, China insists that its policy towards the G8 remains unchanged. Mr Hu will not be taking part in the main deliberations of the body, but in an informal meeting on North-South relations. Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will also be taking part. The longest part of Mr Hu's trip will be in Russia, where he will hold talks with President Vladimir Putin and attend the annual summit of the six-nation Shanghai Co-operation Organisation. The two countries wish to strengthen the strategic co-operative relationship they have forged. Over the weekend, Mr Hu will go to St Petersburg, Mr Putin's home town, to join in celebrations to mark the 300th anniversary of the founding of the city. The two leaders are expected to hold a bilateral session either in St Petersburg or in Evian to focus on the North Korean nuclear crisis, as well as postwar Iraq. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will also be in St Petersburg, and has requested a meeting with Mr Hu. Only a few weeks ago, Mr Hu rejected an overture from Mr Koizumi for a conference in China, apparently because of the Japanese leader's repeated visits to the Yasukuni shrine, where the remains of war criminals are honoured along with Japan's other war dead. While his predecessor, president Jiang Zemin, had emphasised the importance of correctly handling historical issues, Mr Hu, a much younger man who was an infant during the war, may have fewer hang-ups about historical issues. So, in the end, he will likely meet Mr Koizumi, and this may indicate that both countries want to put historical issues behind them and forge a future-oriented relationship for the 21st century. From St Petersburg, Mr Hu will fly to France, where he will meet President Jacques Chirac. China and France have forged a close relationship in recent months, with both countries having opposed the US-led invasion of Iraq. Last week, both China and France voted for a new UN Security Council resolution introduced by the US to lift economic sanctions against Iraq, suggesting they are anxious to put the past behind them. Both countries presumably still want to work together to rein in American power. From France, Mr Hu will continue with state visits to two of China's neighbours, Kazakhstan and Mongolia. In Kazakhstan, he will be hosted by President Nursultan Nazarbayev. The two men are expected to issue a joint statement. From there, Mr Hu will travel to Mongolia, for another state visit at the invitation of President Nachagyn Bagabandy. Mr Hu is scheduled to return to Beijing on June 5. Frank Ching is a Hong Kong-based journalist and commentator frankching1@aol.com
