The Chairperson of the National People's Congress (NPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC), Mr Li Peng, will visit South Africa from November 17 – 22 1999, as the guest of the Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Frene Ginwala.
During his visit Chairperson Li will meet with the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces and with President Thabo Mbeki. He will also address a joint session of Parliament on November 18, 1999. Chairperson L i, a Hydro-electrical engineer by training, will also visit Koeberg Nuclear Power Station and during his brief visit to Gauteng Province he will lay a wreath at the Hector Petersen Memorial in Soweto.
The visit by Chairperson Li follows the State Visit by former President Nelson Mandela to China during May 1999, and the visit of Chinese Vice President Hu Jintao to South Africa in February 1999. President Mbeki also visited China in April 1998 in his the n capacity as Deputy President. These visits symbolise the growing bilateral relations between South Africa and China since the establishment of diplomatic relations at the beginning of 1998.
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
Pretoria
10 NOVEMBER 1999