Chinese President Hu Jintao on Sunday expressed sincere sympathy to his U.S. counterpart over the tragic incident on Saturday in which one American citizen was killed and the other injured.

"I would like to express my heartfelt sympathy to you and the family of the victims over this unfortunate incident," said Hu, while meeting U.S. President George W. Bush in Beijing.

Hu said that the Chinese side has paid great attention to this incident and he has personally instructed the Chinese Foreign Ministry to visit the injured American in hospital.

"We started investigation on this case immediately, and will handle it seriously in accordance with the law. We will keep contact with the U.S. side and inform you of the new developments," said the Chinese president.

President Bush thanked China for how it has handled the situation of Todd Bachman and his family, and also thanked Hu for his expression of sympathy.

Todd and Barbara Bachman of Lakeville, Minneapolis, were attacked by a man while touring the 13th-century Drum Tower of Beijing on Saturday. Todd Bachman died from knife wounds while his wife suffered multiple stab wounds and was in critical but stable condition after an eight-hour surgery.

Police said that the assailant, 47-year-old Tang Yongming from Hangzhou of east China's Zhejiang Province, later killed himself by jumping off a 130-foot high balcony on the Drum Tower.

During Sunday's meeting, which was followed by a banquet, Bush said that he enjoyed the conservation with Hu, adding that he has had "memorable experience" every time he visited the country.

Describing the grand opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, which he attended on Friday night, as "spectacular", Bush congratulated China on the successful opening of the Games and said he has "fully enjoyed" the Games.

Bush, who watched a swimming final on Sunday morning in which Michael Phelps clinched a men's 400m individual medley gold with a world record-breaking result, said he is looking forward to watching the basketball match between China and the United States scheduled for Sunday night.

The Chinese president said that he was very pleased to meet Bush again. "This is already the fourth visit you pay to our country, which has made you the U.S. president paying the most visits to China in the presidential terms," Hu told Bush.

"This has fully demonstrated the great importance Mr. President has attached to the development of Sino-U.S. relations," he said.

The inauguration of the new U.S. embassy in Beijing on Friday, which President Bush attended, and the inauguration of the Chinese embassy in Washington at the end of last month, signified the further advancement of the China-U.S. relations, said the Chinese president.

Hu also congratulated Bush on the victory of Michael Phelps, whom he called "an excellent athlete of the United States." He said he believes Phelps will "achieve more outstanding results" in the Olympic swimming competition.

Editor: Yan