SENIOR Minister Goh Chok Tong will be in Beijing and Tianjin on a working visit from Wednesday to Sunday.

In Beijing, he will meet Chinese State Councillor Liu Yandong and Central Organisation Department Minister Li Yuanchao.

He will then visit Tianjin to attend the meeting of the Young Global Leaders' Foundation Board.� The World Economic Forum will also be meeting in Tianjin at the same time.

While in Tianjin, SM Goh will call on Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and jointly officiate with Premier Wen at the ground-breaking ceremony of the China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city, said a statement from the Prime Minister's Office on Wednesday.

First mooted by SM to Premier Wen in April last year, the Eco-city is the next flagship bilateral project between Singapore and China after the Suzhou Industrial Park.

The ground-breaking ceremony is taking place barely 10 months after the signing of the Framework Agreement on the development of the Eco-city by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Premier Wen last November.

'This reflects the rapid progress that the project has achieved and is a testimony to the strong friendship between the two countries,' said the PMO statement.

Mr Goh will also meet Tianjin Party Secretary Zhang Gaoli.

SM Goh will be accompanied by Mrs Goh during the visit.

Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan, Acting Minister for Manpower Gan Kim Yong, Senior Minister of State for National Development and Education Grace Fu and Minister of State for Trade and Industry Lee Yi Shyan will also join Mr Goh in Tianjin for the Eco city ground-breaking ceremony. �� �