BEIJING, CHINA - MORE than 200 mainland Chinese took off on China's first group tour to the United States under an agreement signed in December, state media said.

The United States, keen not to miss out on the business opportunities offered by China's newly rich and travelling middle class, had only issued student and business visas to Chinese in the past.

'This is a long-awaited trip, but better late than never,' Mr Li Lianjie, 76, was quoted as saying at Beijing airport on Tuesday.

Most of the tourists from Beijing are middle-aged and elderly, with more time and money on their hands, the Beijing Youth Daily said on Wednesday. The 10-day tour will cost more than 20,000 yuan (S$4,000).

The 60 tourists from Beijing will join 79 from Shanghai and 90 from Guangdong in the US capital, Washington.

And if the delights of the capital were not enough, 'the tourists will be invited to the venue of the ongoing China-US Strategic Economic Dialogue in Annapolis, Maryland', Ms Sun Ling, a guide with the tour was quotes by China Daily saying. -- REUTERS