Mahinda takes wing to China

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has decided to go ahead with the previously scheduled state visit to China, his second in a year. As a result President Rajapaksa will be unable to attend the funeral of his Cabinet colleague and political friend, the late Jeyeraj Fernandopulle, scheduled for Thursday.

The President was scheduled to leave for Beijing, just after midnight. Within his itinerary is a meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao and also addressing the BOAO Forum for the Asia Annual Conference in Hainan Province.

China’s President, Hu Jintao, will join 10 other State/Government leaders including Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of Australia, President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan and a host of world leaders at the conference. Now in its eighth year, the BFA Annual Conference has become the pre-eminent international economic forum in Asia, hosting over one thousand high profile pacesetters from across the globe.

The theme for this year’s event is Green Asia, Moving Towards Win-Win Through Changes.

The last rites of Minister Fernandpulle, who died as a result of a suicide attack at Weliweriya on Sunday, will be held at his electorate Katana, on Thursday.