Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived in Victoria, capital of the Seychelles, on February 9 for a state visit to the country. This is the last leg of his eight-nation Africa tour, which is described as a journey of friendship and cooperation.

At 17:10, local time, Hu's special plane arrived at Victoria International Airport. Hu Jintao and his wife Liu Yongqing were warmly welcomed at the airport by Seychellois President James Alix Michel and other leaders. Michel held a grand ceremony at the airport to welcome Hu's state visit to the Seychelles.

In a written statement released at the airport upon his arrival, Hu described the Seychelles as "a shining pearl in the Indian Ocean." In recent years, under the leadership of President Michel, Hu said, the Seychellois government has steadily advanced reform, developed tourism, worked to improve people's living standards and actively conducted international cooperation, achieving remarkable results.

During the past 30 years of diplomatic ties, China and the Seychelles have treated each other with respect and equality, and have made steady progress in their pragmatic cooperation in all fields, Hu said. The two sides have also maintained consultations and coordination in international affairs, he added. "I look forward to exchanging views with President James Alix Michel on bilateral relations and other major issues of mutual interest," he said. Hu expressed belief that this visit will surely help enhance the traditional friendship, expand bilateral friendly cooperation and promote common development of both countries.

State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and other accompanying officials arrived by the same plane.

Chinese Ambassador to the Seychelles Geng Wenbing and other staff of the embassy also greeted the Chinese delegation at the airport.

The Chinese president flew into Victoria by special plane from the Mozambican capital Maputo after concluding his state visit there. Before leaving Maputo, Hu laid a wreath at the monument to the heroes who laid down their lives in Mozambique's struggle for national liberation. Hu, along with his Mozambican counterpart Armando Emilio Guebuza, also attended the inauguration ceremony of an agricultural technology demonstration center in Mozambique.

At the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation last November, Hu, on behalf of the Chinese government, announced China's decision to establish 10 characteristic agricultural technology demonstration centers in Africa within the next three years. The agricultural technology demonstration center in Mozambique is the first one, which is mainly engaged in demonstration and extension of agricultural technology, agricultural personnel training and agricultural cooperation development.

Guebuza hosted a grand seeing-off ceremony for Hu upon his departure at the airport.

Hu's current trip to Africa has already taken him to Cameroon, Liberia, Sudan, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa and Mozambique, before the Seychelles.