Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena left for Beijing on an official visit on the invitation of the Government of China.
In Beijing he is scheduled to meet President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Qiang and senior Ministers as well as top office bearers of Chine Communist Party (CPC) to discuss issues pertaining to bilateral relations and development cooperation.
Prime Minister will be the Chief Guest at China’s premier annual international conference in Boao in Hainan. The Boao Conference theme will be, ‘Asia and the World: Common Challenges, Shared Responsibilities’. It will be attended by several heads of state and top-level foreign delegates.
In Beijing, Prime Minister Gunawardena will first meet with Prime Minister Li Qiang and Chairman of the National People’s Congress of the CPC, Zhao Leiji, the 3rd highest ranking Official in the CPC system after the President and the Prime Minister for detailed discussions on ways and means of enhancing relations.
He is also scheduled to visit China Harbour Headquarters, Huawei, Zhongguancun Environmental Protection Park, National Satellite Meteorological Centre in Beijing and Academy of Tropical Sciences in Hainan. In Shanghai, he will visit Alipay, CTripp, Dilmah Tea and Universal Energy in addition to meetings with Shanghai officials.
He was accompanied by State Ministers Shehan Semasinghe and Ashoka Priyantha, MP Yadamini Gunawardena, Chines Ambassador Qi Zhenhong, Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake and senior officials.