Chinese president arrives in Vietnam for APEC meeting, state visit

File photo of Chinese President Xi Jinping [Photo: Xinhua]

Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, arrived in Da Nang, Vietnam, on Friday for the 25th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting and a state visit to the Southeast Asian country.

Xi will deliver a speech at the APEC CEO Summit later this afternoon, and attend a dialogue with representatives of the APEC Business Advisory Council, as well as an informal dialogue with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

On the sidelines of the APEC events, the Chinese president is scheduled to hold a series of bilateral meetings with leaders of other countries on Saturday.

This year's APEC Economic Leaders' Week is held under the theme of "Creating New Dynamism, Fostering a Shared Future."

In a signed article published in Nhan Dan, the official newspaper of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Xi wished Vietnam a great success hosting the APEC meeting, saying that China looks forward to a "highly productive meeting that contributes to the common development and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific."

The overseas trip is Xi's first after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. After attending the APEC meeting in Da Nang on Nov. 10-11, he will pay state visits to Vietnam and Laos on Nov. 12-14.

The APEC is a regional economic forum established in 1989 to leverage the growing interdependence of the Asia-Pacific.

APEC currently has 21 member economies, namely, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, China's Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.