BEIJING, June 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao startsto pay a state visit to Romania from Saturday to Monday at the invitation of Romanian President Ion Iliescu. The following are major events in Sino-Romanian relations:

    China and Romania established diplomatic relations on Oct. 5, 1949 and exchanged ambassadors in March 1950.

    At the 26th UN General Assembly held in October 1971, Romania, as a co-sponsor country, voted in favor of the resolution calling for the restoration of all the legitimate rights of China in the United Nations.

    In the early 1970s, Romania made a lot of contributions to the improvement of Sino-US relations. For a long time, China and Romania have maintained close ties with leaders from the two countries keeping frequent contacts.

    Romanian President Ion Iliescu visited China both in January 1991 and March 1994.

    In July 1994, Chinese Premier Li Peng visited Romania.

    From June 29 to July 2, 1996, Chinese President Jiang Zemin visited Romania.

    In September 1997, Romanian President Emil Constantinescu visited China.

    In May 1998, Chairman Li Ruihuan of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference visited Romania.

    In April 2002, Chairman of the Romanian Senate Nicolae Vacaroiuvisited China.

    Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase visited China both in June 2002 and May 2003. Enditem