On January 18, 2011, Chinese President Hu Jintao left Beijing for a state visit to the United States at the invitation of U.S. President Barack Obama.

Hu's entourage includes Vice Premier Wang Qishan; Ling Jihua, member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee; Wang Huning, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee; State Councilor Dai Bingguo; Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi; Minister in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) Zhang Ping; Finance Minister Xie Xuren; Commerce Minister Chen Deming; Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai; director of the President's Office Chen Shiju.