Chinese president to address Boao Forum

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping has been invited to, and will attend, the opening ceremony of the upcoming annual Boao Forum for Asia, it was announced on Monday.

Making the announcement at a regular press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Xi will also deliver a keynote speech at the opening ceremony.

Foreign leaders and heads of international organizations who will attend the Boao Forum include: Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah; President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev; Myanmar President U Thein Sein; Peruvian President Ollanta Humala Tasso; Zambian President Michael Sata; Finnish President Sauli Niinisto; Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto; Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen; New Zealand Prime Minister John Key; Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard; Algerian Speaker of the Council of the Nation Abdelkader Bensalah; Chairman of the State Great Hural of Mongolia Zandaakhuu Enkhbold; and Vuk Jeremic, president of the United Nations 67th General Assembly session.

At the invitation of Xi, Hassanal Bolkiah, Nazarbayev, Thein Sein, Humala, Sata, Niinisto and Pena Nieto will pay state visits to China before or after the forum, Hong said.

At the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Hun Sen, Key and Gillard will make official visits after the event, he added.