Arroyo to leave for China on Tuesday to visit Shanghai expo

With a little more than just three weeks before her term ends, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is set fly to Shanghai on Tuesday afternoon, the Press Secretary’s Office said in a statement. Besides visiting the World Expo 2010 to be held in the eastern Chinese city, she will also attend the anniversary of the Philippine-Chinese diplomatic relations and hold a meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao. The meeting with Jintao is expected to "break new grounds in Philippines-China relations and increase friendly exchanges," the Office of the Press Secretary’s statement said. The meeting will be the first between both heads of state after President Arroyo and her spouse, First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, were accused of facilitating a national broadband network contract between the Philippine government and China’s ZTE Corp. The contract will supposedly help connect government offices but have been considered as overpriced at $329 million. The President would have a "very light" schedule during the visit, which aims to show the Philippines’ support for the Shanghai World Expo and the Chinese government, deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar said. President Arroyo will also attend the launch of a collection of Filipino children’s stories that have been translated from Filipino to Chinese by Chinese scholars on Philippines Studies. At least two businessmen and a handful of Cabinet members will accompany the President. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Trade Secretary Jesli Lapus, and Press Secretary Crispulo Icban Jr. are likely to form part of her delegation. President Arroyo is set to leave at around 5:30 p.m. and is expected to arrive in Shanghai around 9 p.m. On June 9, the President is expected to have a full schedule since she will attend the National Day commemorative rites at Central Hall of the Expo Center at 11 a.m. and the tour the China Pavilion and the Philippine Pavilion at 1:30 p.m. She will also attend a reception prepared by the Office of the President to the Philippine delegation at 6:30 p.m. and the celebration of the 35th year of Philippine-China diplomatic ties at 7:30 p.m. President Arroyo is expected to leave around 10 p.m. of Wednesday and arrive in Manila before dawn of June 10. - RJAB Jr/KBK, GMANews.TV