China's Jiang plans world tour

President Jiang Zemin's tour will assess the degree of support for US efforts to widen the scope of the anti-terrorist campaign

(CNN) -- Chinese President Jiang Zemin is planning a major international tour that will include visits to Germany and Iran and is aimed at sending a clear message to the United States on Taiwan.

The high-profile trip is part of a series of travels that Jiang will undertake before he steps down as party general secretary this autumn and state president next March.

A diplomatic source in Beijing said Jiang's visit to Germany would include a stop in Hanover, the hometown of Chancellor Gerhard Shroeder.

"At this stage of the planning, Germany will be the only European country on the itinerary," said the source.

"As with the leaders of the U.S., France and Russia, Jiang wants to underscore his personal rapport with Shroeder."

Chinese Defense Minister General Chi Haotian was in Berlin earlier this week as part of a European tour.

Diplomatic analysts said Beijing's uneasy relationship with the U.S. -- engendered by Washington's cozier ties with Taipei -- would be reflected in Jiang's trips to Germany and Iran.

A German shipping firm is reportedly building diesel-fueled submarines that Washington had last year promised to sell to Taiwan.

"Jiang wants to assess the degree of support that European and Middle East countries have for Washington's efforts to widen the scope of the anti-terrorist campaign," said a Chinese source.

"Jiang's message to the U.S. is that Beijing will be less cooperative on the anti-terrorist front if Washington did not cut down on ties with Taiwan."

Mideast clout

The source said Jiang's trip to Iran would underscore China's clout in the Middle East, which could be the next theater in President George W. Bush's war on terrorism.

Jiang, 75, is due to pay a working visit to the U.S. in October, after which he will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Mexico City.

Meanwhile, hiccups in Sino-U.S. ties have already affected the planned American trip by Jiang's likely successor, Vice-President Hu Jintao.

At a regular Chinese Foreign Ministry briefing on Thursday, spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue evaded a question on whether Hu's trip, earlier expected to take place late next month, would be on schedule.

Zhang said American actions regarding Taiwan since President Bush's visit to Beijing last month had hurt bilateral ties.

"During U.S. President Bush's working visit to China, leaders of the two sides agreed that Vice President Hu Jintao and President Jiang will both visit the U.S. this year," she said.

"But within one short month after Bush's visit, the U.S. side has made a series of moves that have violated the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques," she said.

Analysts said Jiang had originally opposed Hu's trip on the basis that his heir apparent should only visit the U.S. after he had become party chief and state president.

Moreover, Jiang's aides had expressed fears that Hu's U.S. tour might upstage Jiang's own visit later this year.

Analysts said recent difficulties with the U.S. might provide the Jiang faction with another excuse to delay or block Hu's visit.