Chinese President Hu Jintao on Friday sent an envoy Lu Yongxiang to Ukraine to attend the newly-elected Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko's inauguration.

Lu, vice chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, left here Friday noon.

China and Ukraine are friendly countries, and China respects the choice of Ukrainian people, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan in Beijing Thursday.

The inauguration is to be held on Jan 23.