Beijing - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday began a three-day visit to China during which he was scheduled to hold talks with President Hu Jintao and other leaders.

Ban would deliver a speech at the China Foreign Affairs University on Tuesday afternoon and visit patients infected with HIV/AIDS at a Beijing hospital on Wednesday, the Chinese government said.

He also planned to meet Premier Wen Jiabao and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, and visit the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium, which will host the opening of the Olympic Games on August 8.

Ban last visited China in late May, travelling with Wen to earthquake-devastated Sichuan province and praising the Chinese premier's leadership of relief efforts.

Ban met Japanese leaders in Japan on Monday and was scheduled to leave China for South Korea on Thursday, before returning to Japan for the G8 leaders' summit early next week. (dpa)