President Hu Jintao explored China's centuries-old links with Malaysia on Wednesday as he wrapped up an official visit with a tour of the historic enclave of Malacca.
Red banners decorated the streets of this ancient port city, and hundreds of local ethnic Chinese thronged the sidewalks to welcome Hu, his wife Liu Yongqing and the large Chinese delegation.
Many waved Chinese flags, and cheered and clapped as the convoy passed them by after arriving from the capital Kuala Lumpur, which lies to the north.
An official from the Chinese delegation who declined to be named said Hu was "excited" to visit Malacca, a trip that Malaysian authorities said came at his personal request.
"This place is the beginning point of the friendship between Malaysia and China. We hope the visit will further strengthen our ties," he told AFP.
China's links with the Malay peninsula date back to the 13th century founding of the Malacca sultanate, which became one of the most important ports in Southeast Asia in the 15th and the 16th century.
"It's very interesting that he has chosen to see for himself the cultural development of the Chinese in the past in Malaysia," historian Khoo Kay Khim told AFP.
"Malacca is very significant because China sent its first delegation here in 1403, not long after Malacca was founded. The president is interested to see the Chinese who have made Malaysia their home," he added.
Malacca, now designated a World Heritage Site, was a major player in the spice trade, serving as a gateway between Indonesia's Spice Islands and European markets.
Hu made two stops during his hour-long tour, first viewing the Malacca Straits -- one of the world's busiest waterways that in the 15th century gave passage to the trading fleet of the great Chinese admiral Zheng He.
The Chinese who settled in Malacca at that time intermarried with the local Malay people. Their descendents created their own culture, with distinctive dress and cuisine, and are known as "Peranakan".
Hu also visited a heritage museum that celebrates Peranakan culture, spending 20 minutes touring exhibits including traditionally designed houses with characteristic Greco-Roman columns and floral and pictorial motifs.
The president was presented with a 200-year-old plate as a souvenir, said William Chan, whose family runs the museum.
"We are very proud and honoured to have the Chinese president visiting us in Malacca, even more so as he came here at his personal request and not just on an official trip," artist Tham Siew Inn, 63, told AFP.
Hu later travelled to Singapore to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit with US President Barack Obama, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and other regional leaders.
