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Trump begins three-day China visit (Second Lead)
By Gaurav Sharma
Beijing, Nov 8 (IANS) US President Donald Trump arrived here on Wednesday, kicking off his three-day China visit where he will discuss the vexed North Korea’s nuclear crisis and the trade deficit with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.
Air Force One landed around 2.35 p.m. at Beijing airport, where Trump and First Lady Melania were greeted by the Communist regime’s leaders, a People’s Liberation Army guard of honour and children with the flags of both countries.
Trump and his wife got off the plane about 20 minutes after it landed, walked down the red carpet rolled out for the occasion and rode in a Cadillac limousine.
The third leg of the US President’s five-nation Asia tour comes after stops in Japan and South Korea. This is Trump’s first visit to China as US President and third meet with Xi in this year.
Both sides have sought to make favourable conditions for the talks between the leaders of the world’s top two economies, with Trump going the extra mile and calling Xi on Tuesday “very helpful” in dealing with nuclear threats posed Pyongyang.
Earlier on Wednesday, in a speech to the South Korean Parliament, Trump urged Beijing to “implement UN sanctions, downgrade diplomacy and sever trade” with Pyongyang.
Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan invited the Trumps for a tour of the Forbidden City, the historic palace that housed Chinese emperors and their families for almost 500 years, Xinhua news agency reported.
They had the afternoon tea in the Baoyun Building, also known as the Hall of Embodied Treasures, in the southwestern corner of the Forbidden City.
A dinner has been organised inside the Forbidden City for Trump and the First Lady — an honour not granted to any US President since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, CNN reported.
Trump is expected to dine with Xi inside the Jianfu Palace, although the exact location of the dinner wasn’t confirmed. Wherever he dines in the Forbidden City, Trump will be the first foreign leader to have an official dinner in the palace since the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949.
The recalcitrant North and its reluctance to come to the negotiation table will figure in the Xi-Trump meet as the US wants to China to do more to rein in its ally, which has fired a series of missiles and tested its most powerful hydrogen bomb in September.
China says that it is not the trouble-maker and has only limited ability to solve the crisis.
Power equations will be changed this time as Xi has become more powerful, because of exalted status in China, and Trump’s popularity has taken a hit in the US.
The US President will also chair a business forum and there will be a signing of several bilateral agreements in the Great Hall of the People on Thursday.
(Gaurav Sharma is the IANS correspondent in Beijing. He can be reached at [email protected])
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.