PM leaves for China

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka yesterday afternoon for a five-day official visit to Dalian and Beijing to attend a meeting of World Economic Forum and hold talks with Chinese leaders.

A special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying her took off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) at 5:20pm.

The flight is scheduled to reach Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport at 12:15am today (local time). Bangladesh Ambassador to China M Fazlul Karim will receive her at the airport.

During her visit, Hasina will attend the annual meeting of World Economic Forum (WEF) in Dalian today, hold bilateral talks with her Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang and meet President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday and Friday.

After reception at the airport, a ceremonial motorcade will escort the PM to Shangri-La Hotel, where she will be staying in Dalian, a port city in China’s Liaoning province.

A meeting titled “Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2019”, also known as WEF Summer Davos, will be held in Dalian from July 1-3. The theme of the summit is “Leadership 4.0 - Succeeding in a New Era of Globalisation”.

The PM will attend the inaugural ceremony of the meeting at Dalian International Conference Centre today.

In the afternoon, Hasina will meet WEF Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab at his office and join a panel discussion on “Cooperation in the Pacific Rim” at Dalian International Conference Centre.

She will leave Dalian for Beijing at 11:00am (local time) tomorrow by a special chartered flight to be provided by the Chinese government.

After reception at Beijing Capital International Airport, she will go to Diaoyutai State Guest House, where she will be staying during her visit to Beijing, the capital of China.

In the afternoon, she will join a community reception followed by dinner at Legendale Hotel Beijing.

On Thursday morning, Hasina will join the welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People and place wreaths at the Heroes Memorial there.

She will hold bilateral talks with her Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang and attend an agreement-signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People.

Hasina will join a banquet, to be hosted by the Chinese prime minister, at the same venue.

In the afternoon that day, the PM will attend a business roundtable with Chinese business leaders.

On Friday morning, she is scheduled to address an event, to be organised by a Chinese think tank, Pangoal Institution.

Later, the CEOs of some Chinese companies will meet Hasina at her place of residence.

She will hold a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Diaoyutai State Guest House in the afternoon. She will also join a banquet, to be hosted by the Chinese president, in the evening at the same venue.

The PM will depart Beijing at 11:00am (local time) on Saturday by a special Biman flight. She is expected to arrive at Dhaka airport at 1:35pm (BST) on the same day.