The President, Mrs McAleese, departs on Sunday for a nine-day state visit to China aimed at strengthening links between the two countries and enhancing trade and educational relationships.
The President will be accompanied by a delegation of 130 business people and academic administrators, the largest trade mission ever from Ireland. The delegation is organised by Enterprise Ireland.
The visit begins in Hong Kong and proceeds to Beijing, Shenyang, Shanghai and Shenzhen. The President will be accompanied by Dr Martin McAleese, the Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, and officials from Áras an Uachtaráin, the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The Presidential party will spend two days in Hong Kong before proceeding to Beijing for a three-day stay.
Mrs McAleese will receive a ceremonial welcome from President Hu Jintao and will meet Premier Wen Jiabao and other political leaders.
She will deliver a keynote address at Peking University on expanding Irish/Chinese relations and will open the new commercial section of the Irish embassy.
At each destination, she will meet the local Irish community as well as the local dignitaries. She departs from Shanghai on October 15th, arriving back in Dublin on Thursday 16th.
The Chinese and Irish presidents will attend a performance of Riverdance in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 10th. The Irish dance troupe is the largest western touring show ever to play in China and the tour arose following an official invitation from the Chinese after a special performance in Dublin during the state visit by Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji in 2001.
Riverdance opens in Beijing on October 9th and will move to Shanghai for five performances.
The producer, Ms Moya Doherty, said they were "very honoured to be taking Riverdance across yet another new frontier". After China, the show moves to Japan for a six-city tour and then to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
During the trip, Mrs McAleese will meet local political, business and education leaders and will receive two honorary degrees - one from Shenzhen University and the other from the Harbin Institute of Technology.