President arrives in China:

Sri Lanka, China to sign key agreements

FROM RODNEY Martinesz in Beijing, China

PRESIDENT Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga arrived here at 2.10 p.m. yesterday on a week-long State visit where several landmark agreements are to be signed for providing development assistance to Sri Lanka.

President Kumaratunga was received on arrival at the Beijing International Airport by Chinese Acting Foreign Minister Sheng Juo Fang. She was presented with a bouquet of flowers by a Chinese girl. Also present were Sri Lanka's Ambassador to China Nihal Rodrigo and other Chinese officials.

The President and her entourage were escorted in a motorcade to the Diaoyutai, the State Guest House. She was later hosted to lunch there.

Accompanying the President were Ministers Anura Bandaranaike, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Treasury Secretary Dr. P. B. Jayasundera and Tourist Board Chairman Udaya Nanayakkara among other officials.

Several key agreements are to be signed during the President's visit accruing far reaching benefits to Sri Lanka.

Chief among these is the agreement on the commissioning of the Norachcholai coal power project that will generate 320 MW, providing an answer to the country's energy crisis.

President Kumaratunga has an extremely busy schedule during her visit, the first by a Sri Lankan Head of State to the People's Republic of China in 10 years.

She will deliver the keynote address at the 10th Anniversary commemoration meeting of the Beijing Women's conference at the Fujian Hall. The conference will be opened by Chinese President Hu Jintao.

President Kumaratunga will hold bilateral talks tomorrow with the Chinese President at the Great Hall of the People following which agreements will be signed.

The talks are bound to rekindle the mutual bonds of friendship between Sri Lanka and China dating back several decades during which the two nations always maintained healthy trade and cultural links.

Among the other agreements to be discussed during the visit are the Hambantota oil tank project and phosphate mining, the Colombo-Katunayake Express railway and the Kotte sewerage project.

In this connection, the President will meet the Head of the China, Huanqui contracting and Engineering Corporation Wang Shihong (Norachcholai), Vice Chairman China Shandong International Economic and Technical Cooperation, Sun Li Tang (Colombo-Katunayake Expressway), President Changzhou Railcar propulsion R & D Centre, Zhou Licheng (Katunayake-Colombo Express railway) and the President, China Metallurgical Construction Corporation (Kotte sewerage project).President Kumaratunga is also scheduled to address the Investment, Tourism and Trade Promotion seminar organised by the China Centre for Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) on Wednesday.

Later on Wednesday, the President will meet with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao at the Fujian Hall of the Great Hall of the People.

Meetings are also scheduled with Minister of National Defence Cao Gangchuan and Finance Minister Jin Renging.

On Wednesday, the President will also meet Wu Bangguo, Chairman National People's Congress and hold a dinner meeting with State Councillor Chen Zhill.