CHINESE VICE-PREMIER OF THE STATE COUNCIL TO PAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO MALTA

The Vice-Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China H.E. Mr Li Lanqing will be paying an official visit to Malta between 14^th and 16^th April, 2000. He will be accompanied by the Vice-Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Yang Jiechi, the Vice-Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Mr Zhang Youcai and the Vice-Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation, Mr Long Yongtu.

During his visit the Chinese Vice-Premier of the State Council will be having official talks with the Prime Minister at the Auberge de Castille.

The Vice-Premier of the State Council will also call on The President of Malta.

CURRICULUM VITAE OF LI LANQING, VICE PREMIER OF THE STATE COUNCIL

Born in May 1932, Mr Li Lanqing is a native of Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province. He joined the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) and began working in September 1952. He is a graduate of the Department of Enterprise Management of Fudan University.

From 1952 to 1956, Mr Li worked as a planner and deputy chief at the planning section of Changchun No.1 Automobile Factory. He was a trainee at Lihachev Automobile Factory and Gorky Automobile Factory in Moscow 1956-1957. From 1957 to 1959, he was section chief in the planning division of Changchun No.1 Automobile Factory and concurrently special research fellow of the Economic Research Institute of Northeast People's University. From 1959 to 1961, he served as secretary in the Ministry of First Machine-Building Industry. Between 1961 and 1969, he was a secretary in the State Economic Commission and section chief of its Enterprise Administration Bureau. From 1972 to 1978, he worked at No.2 Automobile Factory as deputy director of the planning division and then First Secretary of the CPC Committee of its Engine Plant. From 1978 to 1981, he was deputy commander for the construction of No.3 Automobile Factory and head of the Preparatory Office for Setting up the Heavy-Duty Truck Factory. He was the head of the Governmental Loan Office of State Administration of Foreign Investment from 1981 to 1982; Director-General of Foreign Investment Department of the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade (MOFTEC) from 1982 to 1983; Vice Mayor of Tianjin Municipality and concurrently Secretary of the CPC Working Committee of the Municipality on Foreign Economic Relations and Trade from 1983 to 1986; Vice Minister and Deputy Secretary of the Party Leading Group of MOFTEC between 1986 and 1990; Minister and Secretary of the CPC Leading Group of MOFTEC as well as Deputy Head of the Foreign Economic Relations and Trade Office under the State Council between 1990 and 1992; Member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, Minister and Secretary of the CPC Leading Group of MOFTEC from 1992 to 1993; Member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council from 1993 to 1997. He has been a Member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council since 1997.

Mr Li was Alternate Member of the 13^th CPC Central Committee, Member of the 14^th CPC Central Committee and of its Politburo, and is Member of the 15^th CPC Central Committee, its Politburo and Standing Committee of the Politburo.