Prime Minister John Key and Auckland Mayor Len Brown will greet President Xi of China and his wife, and a large delegation travelling with them, when they arrive in Auckland late tonight.
Mr Xi will spend most of tomorrow in Wellington where he will have an official welcome, attend a state lunch and have official talks with Mr Key before heading back to Auckland for a dinner with Mr Key, hosted by Governor General Jerry Mateparae.
Mr Xi will spend Friday in Auckland, meeting the mayors of New Zealand's largest cities, meeting Opposition leader Andrew Little, meeting the New Zealand China Council, speaking at a business lunch and attending an agritech evening south of Auckland.
During the visit Massey University will confer an honorary doctorate on the president's wife, Madam Peng Liyuan, formerly a famous singer in the People's Liberation Army.
Among the large delegation of ministers, mayors, governors and business people will be State Councillor Yang Jiechi,, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng and the director of the general office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Li Zhanshu.
