Deputy Prime Minister Lehohla in China

The Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Education and Training Mr. Lesao Lehohla is currently on a week's official visit to the People's Republic of China from Thursday, April 1 to 9, according to a press statement issued by the Embassy of Lesotho in Beijing.

The statement said the Deputy Prime Minister's itinerary includes a meeting with the assistant minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Lu Guozeng, official talks and consultations with the Premier of the State Council of China; the Chinese Minister of Education; the Assistant Minister of Commerce and Bilateral Cooperation as well as with the Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

Mr. Lehohla would also sign an agreement on economic and technical cooperation between the two governments.

"The agreement involves a grant to be provided by the Chinese government to the government of Lesotho. The grant will be used to contribute to the famine relief programme in Lesotho and financing of the projects to be mutually agreed upon by the two governments," the statement said.

The statement said Mrs. Lehohla had a parallel programme that included visiting HIV/AIDS patients at You'an Hospital and a meeting with the President of the All China Women's Federation, exchanging views on issues relating to women's affairs.

The Deputy Prime Minister will also visit the city of Shangai and two other cities in Fujian Province. Whilst in Shanghai, he will visit the Shangai Teachers University and a tourism vocational school in Fuzhou City.
He is accompanied by the Principal Secretary to the Ministry of Education and Training, Ms Ntsebe Kokome and the Deputy Director of the Lesotho College of Education Mr. John Oliphant.

05 April 2004