President Hu Jintao left Beijing on Wednesday afternoon for a short state visit to Canada to improve ties and tap the potential for the two countries to cooperate better on a range of global issues.

Hu is also scheduled to attend the G20 meeting in Toronto from June 26 to 27 and join others in pushing for global economic recovery and financial reform.

It is the first visit by the Chinese president since Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservative Party took power in 2006.

Harper and Hu will meet on Thursday to discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of common interest, according to the prime minister's office.

And sources said the two countries are expected to sign contracts on energy, telecommunication industries and tourism, including officially signing the deal in which China will grant Approved Destination Status to Canada.

Analysts said that as Canada is suffering from the economic recession in its largest trade partner, the United States, tapping the market of China will be in the interest of the Canadian government.

After the visit, Hu is expected to join other developed and developing economies at the G20 meeting in Toronto.

Hu is also likely to meet US President Barack Obama, newly elected British Prime Minister David Cameron and Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, as the latter two make their international debuts at the G8 and G20 meetings.

Developed and emerging economies are split on the major agenda of the meeting, with the developed ones asking the developing ones to pay the bill for their economic woes while?the developing countries emphasizing reform of the global financial system.

According to the Chinese foreign ministry, China expects the G20 summit to push the International Monetary Fund to give more representation and voice to emerging markets and developing countries and deepen the reform of the international financial supervision system.

Opposition to trade protectionism and completion of the Doha round of trade talks will be emphasized in Hu's speech, said the ministry.