Chinese VP leaves for visits to US

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping left Beijing on Monday to pay official visits to the United States, Ireland and Turkey.

At the invitation of U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny and Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Xi is scheduled to visit the three nations from Feb. 13 to 22.

Xi's entourage include Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Gao Hucheng, International Trade Representative and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Commerce, Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai, Zhang Xiaoqiang, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission and Shi Zhihong, deputy director of the Policy Research Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee. Enditem