Bangalore: Siddaramaiah heads for China to attend World Economic Forum

Bangalore, Sep 9 (IANS): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is heading to China late Monday to participate in the seventh World Economic Forum (WEF) at Dalian in the northeastern Liaoning province.

"The chief minister has been invited to participate in the three-day annual meeting of the 'New Champions of the WEF' from Sept 11," an official told IANS here Sunday.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will inaugurate the meeting to be attended by about 1,600 delegates, including heads of state from 90 countries the world over.

Known as the 'Summer Davos', the WEF meeting will discuss global issues and risks faced by the New Champions communities, which include global growth companies, young leaders, scientists, technology partners, social entrepreneurs and global shapers.

This will be Siddaramaiah's first week-long overseas visit four months after he assumed office on the return of the Congress to power in the state legislative assembly election May 5.

After attending the plenary of the forum, the chief minister will join other economic leaders at an informal gathering and meet WEF executive chairman Klaus Schwab to discuss on expanding the forum's activities in the state.

"The WEF has invited Karnataka to participate in its meeting in view of the state's rapid progress in diverse sectors, especially IT services and products, which has made the state a role model," CM's media official D.P. Muralidhar said.

Siddaramaiah will also attend a series of industry meetings covering food security, manufacturing, wind energy, logistics, ports, and infrastructure so as to replicate new technologies and best practices in the state.

"In turn, the state will benefit from the best practices, systems and technologies from the world over, explore partnerships and attract investments from overseas," Muralidhar observed.

At the conference on food security, the chief minister will showcase his government's flagship programme 'Anna Bhagya', the subsidised scheme to supply 30kg of rice or wheat at Re.1 per kg per month to poor families, and 'Ksheera Bhagya', free milk thrice in a week to school children across the state to provide nutrition.

He will also interact with other panelists at the food conference, including Katia Abreu, president, Confederacao Nacional da Agricultura (CNA), Brazil, Tim Hanstad, chief executive of Landsea from the US, and global food major Nestle chief executive in China.

The following day, the chief minister will meet Malaysian Q1 group head Data Vijay Eshwaran, Spanish multinational Acciona chief international officer Carmen Becerril, Israel's industrial R&D director-general Avi Hasson and South African industrial development corporation chairman Monhla Wilma Hlahla.

At Dalian, he will visit International Metal Working Engineering& Production Company, Sinovel Wind Energy facility, Port & Agriculture Market.

Later, Siddaramaiah visit Shanghai Electrical Corporation and global telecom major Huwai Technologies at Shanghai.

A 14-member business delegation comprising captains of industry from diverse sectors, including IT and textiles and an eight-member official team is accompanying the chief minister.