BEIJING, March 15, 2008 (AFP) - China's parliament on Saturday almost unanimously re-elected Communist Party chief Hu Jintao, 65, to serve as president for five more years, according to a ballot made public.

Hu received the support of 99.7 percent of the 2,965 votes cast by delegates to China's parliament.

The overwhelming endorsement was not a surprise because China's parliament is regarded as a rubber-stamp body for the ruling Communist Party.

Hu was re-confirmed as head of the party at its five-yearly Congress in October last year.