BEIJING, (Xinhua) -- A book recording former Chinese President Jiang Zemin's overseas visits from 1990 to 2002 was released at Beijing's Diaoyutai State Guesthouse here Sunday.

Over 400 Chinese diplomats, officials and scholars, including State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and former Vice-Premier Qian Qichen, attended the book's launching ceremony.

The 654-page book, entitled For a Better World: Jiang Zemin's Overseas Visits, covered Jiang's most diplomatic activities during the 13 years when he served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and China's President.

It starts with Jiang's three-day visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in 1990 and ends with Jiang's visit to the United States and his participation in the 10th annual Economic Leaders' Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Mexico in 2002.

The 11-chapter book with 167 pictures told of stories of Jiang's personal contact with world leaders and many historical events such as Jiang's attendance of Hong Kong and Macao's handover ceremonies.

It also gave detailed acount of how China and the United States managed to warm the frosty ties after 1989, Jiang's meeting with the last President of the former Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev and his visits to Israel and Palestine.

China's Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said in the foreword he has written for the book that Jiang came as China's diplomatic work was in great difficulties in 1989 under "sanctions" from certain western countries.

Standing on the strategic level, Jiang has excercised great political wisdom and made tireless efforts to create a new situation for China's diplomatic work, Li said.

Analysts said that the diplomatic efforts showed that the third generation of leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Jiang Zemi at the core has abided by the indepedent foreign policy of peace and made remarkable contributions on safeguarding national interests and promoting world peace and development.

It also demonstrated Jiang's diplomatic wisdom as party and state leader, analysts said.

From 1989 to 2002, Jiang has visited over 70 countries, traveling nearly 600,000 kilometers, according to the book.

State Councilor Tang, also former Foreign Minister, said the publication of the book is of "significant meaning" for Chinese diplomats to inherit and develop the socialist diplomatic theories of Chinese characteristics and will help them better understand China's diplomatic policies so as to push the country's diplomatic work into new phase.

The book was published by the World Affairs Press of China.

Born in 1926, Jiang became General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee in 1989. He stopped serving as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee in 2002 and President of China in 2003.