PRESS RELEASE

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China’s Leadership Is Preparing for President Trump’s Trip to China

Oct. 31, 2017 (EIRNS)—The government’s China Global Television Network (CGTN, formerly CCTV) runs an unsigned opinion piece today, titled "Why Trump’s Upcoming China Visit Is Important." It reports on yesterday’s briefing that China’s Ambassador to the U.S. Cui Tiankai held on U.S. President Donald Trump’s Nov. 8-10 trip, saying it is an honor to host Trump as the first world leader following the 19th congress of Communist Party of China, to visit China. He said that because there are differences in foreign policy, "that is why we need this high-level communication."

Cui, who turned 65 this month, has been asked to postpone his retirement in order to help ensure that President Trump visit to China is successful. Cui had previously said he would be stepping down, but as Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post reports, "Sources said Cui remaining in the post underlined just how much importance Beijing was placing on Trump’s trip."

President Xi Jinping said yesterday, according to Xinhua, that he is looking forward to President Trump’s trip, and that "we are optimistic about the prospects for Chinese-U.S. relations," ahead of the meeting with President Trump. President Xi was speaking to America business leaders who are members of an advisory board to Tsinghua University’s business school in Beijing. Speaking in the Great Hall of the People, President Xi promised to open China’s economy wider.