The President is expected to address the Conference, which, this year, is being organized under the theme “Strengthening the Trust and Cooperation and Building a Peaceful and Stable New Asia.”

CICA consists of 23 member states that include the following: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cambodia, China, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Palestine, Republic of Korea, Russia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

Sri Lanka holds “observer state” status along with Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Qatar, Ukraine and the United States.

According to CICA, the Conference “is a multi-national forum for enhancing cooperation towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia based on the recognition that there is a close link between peace, security and stability in Asia and in the rest of the world.” This year, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is also scheduled to attend.

During the visit, President Rajapaksa is also expected to hold bilateral discussions with several other heads of state who will be in China for the Conference.

Sri Lanka – China relations have remained strong with several high-level visits taking place. President Rajapaksa’s last visit to China was last year in May during which the President held bilateral discussions with China’s President Xi Jinping, Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang and Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao. The Vice Chairman of China’s Central Military Commission Air Chief Marshal Xu Qiliang was in Sri Lanka earlier this month, accompanied by a high-level military delegation – the highest level Chinese military delegation that has ever visited Sri Lanka.