Megawati expedites visit to China

Megawati expedites visit to China

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri has moved forward her official
visit to China by one day due to the change of schedule from
Chinese President Zhiang Jemin, Indonesian Ambassador to China
A.A. Kustia said on Monday.

Megawati was initially scheduled to leave for Beijing on March
25, as part of a 10-day overseas trip which will also take her to
North Korea, South Korea and India.

"The President has agreed to depart for Beijing on March 24
and will immediately hold a meeting (with Zhiang) upon arrival,"
Kustia told journalists after meeting the President.

This will be Megawati's first overseas trip this year. Last
year she made four visits abroad, including to nine member
countries of ASEAN, Japan and the United States, and to Bandar
Seri Begawan and Shanghai to attend the ASEAN summit and the APEC
summit respectively.

Kustia further said that Megawati would visit several
provinces of China such as Hunan and Sechuan to observe
development in agriculture and industry in the world's most
populous country.

The President will also witness the signing of a memorandum of
understanding at the opening of Indonesian consulates in Guang
Zhou and Shanghai. She is also slated to speak with Chinese
businesspeople.

"This is an official visit, the invitation for which was
delivered by the Chinese government dating back to when Ibu
Megawati was the vice president," Kustia remarked.

The President will continue her journey to Pyongyang on March
28 for a two-day visit, before flying to Seoul for a three-day
trip.

Megawati's trip will end in India, where she will stay for
four days, beginning April 1. The President is scheduled to fly
home on April 5.