BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Defence Minister Cao Gangchuan left Beijing on Tuesday for official good-will visits to Cuba, Argentina, Chile and Greece.

The visits of Cao, also vice chairman of the Central Military Commission and state councilor, are at the invitations of Cuban Defense Minister Raul Castro, Argentinean Defense Minister Nilda Garre, Chile's Minister of National Defense Jose Goni and Greek Defense Minister Evangelos-Vassilios Meimarakis.