Xi to meet Trump in US next week

Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit the US next week for his first meeting with President Donald Trump, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang announced on Thursday.

Before arriving in the US, Xi will visit Finland at the invitation of President Sauli Niinisto from April 4 to 6, Xinhua news agency quoted Lu as saying.

Later, he will proceed to Florida from April 6 to 7.

Xi will meet Trump at the latter's private residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, where the two are expected to discuss bilateral commercial relations.

"China hopes to make joint efforts with the US to expand trade cooperation, properly settle trade frictions through dialogues, and maintain healthy and stable growth of trade and economic ties," Lu said.

The China-US trade in goods amounted to $519.6 billion in 2016, an increase of 207 times compared with that of 1979 when the two countries set up diplomatic ties, according to Lu.

Xi's visit to Finland will be his first trip to a European Union member state this year, and also his first visit to northern Europe as the President, Lu added.

--IANS

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