On the afternoon of November 14, 2008, at the invitation of President Bush of the United States, Chinese President Hu Jintao left Beijing by special plane to attend the G20 summit on financial markets and world economy to be held in Washington. President Hu will also pay state visits to Costa Rica, Cuba, Peru and Greece at the invitation of President Arias of Costa Rica, President Raul Castro of the Cuban Council of State and the Council of Ministers, President Garcia of Peru and President Papoulias of Greece respectively. During his stay in Peru, Hu will attend the Economic Leaders' Informal Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Lima.

Hu's entourage includes his wife Liu Yongqing, Vice Premier Wang Qishan, Ling Jihua, member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of General Office of CPC Central Committee, Wang Huning, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and director of Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee, State Councilor Dai Bingguo, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Minister of Finance Xie Xuren, Minister of Commerce Chen Deming, Vice Minister in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission Zhu Zhixin, Governor Zhou Xiaochuan of the People's Bank of China, Vice Foreign Minister Li Jinzhang, Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei, Vice Minister of Commerce Yi Xiaozhun, Director of the President's Office Chen Shiju and Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Jieyi.