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President Clinton arrives in Beijing on Friday evening.  The following 
morning, the President will be welcomed with a brief ceremony outside the 
east entrance of the Great Hall of the People, adjacent to Tiananmen 
Square.   The Great Hall of the People was built in 1959 to commemorate 
the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China  
and is the seat of China's parliament, the National People's Congress 
(NPC). After the arrival ceremony, the President holds a bilateral 
meeting and joint press appearance with President Jiang Zemin.  
During the afternoon, the President holds a working lunch with Premier 
Zhu Rongji.  In the evening, the President attends a state dinner in the 
banquet hall of the Great Hall of the People.  It is used to entertain 
visiting heads of state and can accommodate 5,000 guests.  Presidents 
Nixon, Reagan, and Bush have all dined there. 
        
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