Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Kazakhstan for a state visit, in his first foreign trip in nearly 1,000 days as he shores up alliances to counter U.S. influence on the world order.
The Chinese leader landed in the capital city of Nur-Sultan on Wednesday, accompanied by his nation’s top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to state-run Xinhua News Agency. Xi, who wore a mask bearing a Chinese flag, was greeted on the tarmac by a marching band and President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who he was set to hold talks with that afternoon.
The trip marks Xi’s return to the world stage after being the only Group of 20 leader to avoid leaving his country since the first COVID-19 lockdown began in January 2020.