PNG PM O'Neill travels to China for Belt and Road Forum

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill will travel to Beijing, China, today and will represent the Pacific when Chinese President Xi Jinping plays host to nearly 40 heads of state and government this week at the second Belt and Road forum.

This global forum is expected to produce more deals for companies and banks that want in on the latter-day Silk Road mega-project.

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The strong showing is a testament to the project’s standing despite multiple criticisms against it.

All 10 ASEAN leaders, including Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill will take part in a high-level meeting at Beijing’s National Convention Centre and a leaders’ roundtable at Yanqi Lake in the suburb of Huairou.

The other 27 leaders will include Russian President Vladimir Putin; Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz; Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras; Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban; Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan to name a few.

Mr O’Neill said this meeting was significant for PNG and the Pacific as the leaders which he would be part of, would take stock of what has been achieved and draw a blueprint for future cooperation to further enrich Belt and Road Initiative cooperation.

Chinese Ambassador to PNG Xue Bing said this forum will be attended by 40 world leaders .
This includes representatives from more than 100 countries.
The theme of this year’s forum is: Belt and Road Cooperation: Shaping a Brighter Shared Future.
The forum events include the opening ceremony, a leaders’ round table, a high-level meeting, thematic forums, a CEO conference and other side events. Statement