Chinese premier to attend closing ceremony of 9th Asian Winter Games

BEIJING -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang will attend the closing ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games on Friday in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson announced on Thursday.

Li will host a welcome banquet and hold bilateral events for foreign leaders attending the closing ceremony, spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a daily news briefing.

Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Mark Brown and Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene will attend the closing ceremony at the invitation of the Chinese side, Guo said. Premier Li will meet with them in Harbin respectively.

The Chinese side is willing to take Brown's visit, running from Feb 10 to 16, as an opportunity to have in-depth exchange of views and jointly promote the continuous development of bilateral relations, said the spokesperson.

Brown's trip in China also includes visits to Shanghai and Shandong province, Guo said.

Guo said that Oyun-Erdene's visit, from Feb 13 to 15, will strengthen political mutual trust, enrich the China-Mongolia comprehensive strategic partnership, and contribute to the building of a China-Mongolia community with a shared future.