Xi Jinping to Visit Europe and Latin America

The President of China, Xi Jinping, will start a new international tour and this time with official visits to Spain, Panama, Portugal and Argentina, where he will also attend the G-20 summit, confirmed Friday the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the trip will extend from November 27 to December 5.

The first stop will be Spain, coinciding with the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between both countries.

There he will hold meetings with King Felipe VI, the Head of Government, the Social Democrat Pedro Sanchez, and the top representatives of the two legislative chambers (Congress of Representatives and Senate).

He will then continue to Argentina to, besides fulfilling an official agenda, attend the G-20 leaders' summit from November 30 to December 1.

As part of the conclave, a meeting is scheduled between Xi and the president of the United States, Donald Trump, where it is expected that both leaders will address the bilateral relations, seriously irritated by the mutual application of aranceral tariffs to domestic imports and even demands at the World Trade Organization.

The third stop in the tour will be Panama on December 2 and 3, the first visit in the history of a Chinese Head of State to that Central American nation.

Formal activities are scheduled for Dec 3 and include a private meeting with host President Juan Carlos Varela, followed by an extended meeting attended by other leading figures from the two countries, the signing of agreements in various socioeconomic sectors and the issuance of a joint statement.

Both dignitaries are also expected to attend a business forum and visit the Panama Canal.

Xi Jinping will close his international trip in Portugal with a similar agenda.

Senior officials from the Foreign Ministry indicated the President will take advantage of this visit to strengthen bilateral cooperation ties, but also alliances in international affairs with the European Union and Latin America.

A common point in each visit will be to expand exchanges as part of the Belt and Road Initiative, through which China aims to link land and sea with different continents by means of a large infrastructure network and commercial operations.