Hu's 5-nation tour declared a success

President Hu Jintao "accomplished what he set out to" on his five-nation "journey of friendship and cooperation" that began on Feb 10, cementing and deepening the friendly relations between China and the other nations.

Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi made the statement while meeting with reporters who traveled with the president to Saudi Arabia, Mali, Senegal, Tanzania and Mauritius. Hu returned to Beijing yesterday.

The adverse effect of the global financial crisis on the developing countries has made it more important for China to converse with their Third World partners for ways to cope with the crisis, Yang said.