Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend both the summit of the Group of 20 most industrialized countries in the world and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum this month, in his first major trip abroad since the beginning. of the COVID-19 pandemic, an official said Friday.
According to Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, Xi will meet with US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron, among others, on the sidelines of the two summits. The first will be the G20, which will take place in Indonesia, and will be followed by the APEC in Thailand.
Xi has largely avoided foreign travel since the start of the pandemic, as China adheres to its strict “zero COVID” policy that includes mandatory lockdowns and quarantines.
The summits come after Xi was given a third five-year term as leader of the ruling Communist Party, and amid disputes with the United States and other nations over trade and territorial claims.