Xi Jinping left Beijing on a special plane, accompanied by Cai Qi and Wang Yi.

Chinese President Xi Jinping left Beijing by special plane on the morning of Sunday (May 5, 2024) for a state visit to France, Serbia and Hungary.

According to China Central Television News, Xi Jinping was accompanied by: Xi Jinping’s wife Peng Liyuan, Cai Qi, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and others.

France will be the first stop of Xi Jinping’s three-country European tour. According to Reuters, Xi Jinping is expected to arrive in France at approximately 4 pm local time (10 pm Singapore time).

French President Macron is expected to put forward demands for reducing trade imbalances when meeting with Xi Jinping and try to persuade China to use its influence on Russia to deal with the Russia-Ukraine war issue.