President Xi to Attend Davos World Economic Forum

Xi Jinping
Xi Jinping (photo: Xinhuanet)
By Mei ManuelJanuary 10th, 2017

On Tuesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry had confirmed that President Xi Jinping will be attending the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 17 to 20. This is the first time a Chinese head of state will be attending the forum, which will talk about the rising public discontent regarding globalization and the incoming presidency of Donald Trump.

Once in Davos, China will presenting itself as a champion of globalization. According to WEF's executive chairman Klaus Schwab, he expected Xi to show how China would take a "responsive and responsible leadership role" in global affairs at a turning point in history, with the world needing new concepts to face the future.

He also said in a news conference in Geneva regarding to the impacts of Trump's victory and Brexit, "Every simplified approach to deal with the complex global agenda is condemned to fail. We cannot have just populist solutions."

The forum in Davos will end just as Trump takes his oath as the new president of the US, promising to pull the US out of international trade deals and increase tariffs against China and Mexico which he believes to be a way to bring industries and jobs back to the US.

Several global leaders will not be attending Davos this year such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. In the list of attendees released Tuesday, 3,000 participants will be in Davos for the forum, which includes presidents, prime ministers, bankers and executives.

The US will be represented by Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry and "someone from the transition team representing the new (Trump) administration."

Aside from the WEF, President Xi will be visiting Switzerland for a state visit from January 15 to 18 and he is expected to visit the UN offices in Geneva, the World Health Organization and the International Olympic Committee.

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