Manmohan Singh to go sightseeing in Beijing

He also has a meeting with Zhang Dejiang, the chairperson of the National People's Congress, after 3 p.m. He goes to the Forbidden City after 4 p.m. and is to spend around 40 mins there.



And Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will not go alone. Accompanying him will be Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. Apparently, the sightseeing tour to one of China's top tourist attractions has been at the initiative of the Chinese premier.

The request is believed to have come from Premier Li and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gladly accommodated.

The Forbidden City is located in the centre of Beijing and now houses the Palace Museum. For almost 500 years, it served as the home of Chinese emperors and their households, as well as the ceremonial and political centre of the Chinese imperial dynasties.

Built in 1406 to 1420, the complex consists of 980 buildings and it takes a few hours to traverse. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987.