Chinese President Hu Jintao holds a welcome ceremony for visiting U.S. President Barack Obama at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on November 17 (XINHUA)

Chinese President Hu Jintao hosted a red-carpet welcome ceremony for visiting U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday morning at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

This is Obama' s first state visit to China since he assumed presidency in January.

(Xinhua News Agency November 17, 2009)