Xi to show rising China’s global role in US state visit

BEIJING (AFP) – President Xi Jinping will demonstrate China’s increasing global influence on his first state visit to the US next week for a closely watched summit with Barack Obama, even as concern builds that its giant economy is losing steam.

The United States and China, the world’s two biggest economies, also have powerful militaries and their relationship encompasses cooperation and competition on a global scale.

Key topics during the trip signaled by Chinese officials include their trade and business relationship, geopolitics, climate change, terrorism and cybersecurity, among others.

The visit kicks off Tuesday in west coast technology and aviation hub Seattle before Friday’s summit in Washington. Xi then heads to New York to mark the 70th anniversary of the United Nations.

China sees the trip as a chance to stress its self-perceived status as the only nation able to rival the US in global importance, with Xi telling US business leaders Thursday of a “new model of major country relations.’’

The Chinese leader added he was ready to have a “profound exchange of views with President Obama on major issues of mutual concern.’’

Ruan Zongze, vice president of the China Institute of International Studies, a foreign ministry-affiliated think tank, told diplomats at the Lanting forum in Beijing that the nature of the relationship had changed.

‘’The world is entering a stage of major adjustments and changes,’’ he said. ‘’Under such circumstances China cannot just remain silent like it was before.’’

Less than three months ago, Beijing was basking in the limelight of having succeeded in signing up dozens of countries, including close US allies Germany and Britain, to its Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

But an extended plunge on the Shanghai stock exchange, along with global market jitters over an ongoing growth slowdown and questions over Xi’s and other Communist leaders’ economic management skills, have dulled some of the luster.

Despite the recent economic volatility, Carl Baker, director of programs at the Honolulu-based Pacific Forum CSIS, told AFP: ‘’He still comes with a fairly strong hand vis-a-vis Obama simply because Obama is becoming a lame duck.

‘’And Xi Jinping is still pretty sure he’s going to be around for some time in the future.’’