Xi Jinping may attend Davos meeting next month

Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to highlight China’s economic might and try to boost Beijing’s global appeal in his possible debut at the World Economic Forum in Davos next month, analysts said.

The planned appearance by Xi at the annual gathering of the world’s political and business elites will be a first for a Chinese president. It comes as the United States appears poised to become more inward-looking under incoming president Donald Trump and Europe is swept by populist sentiment.

Amid this uncertainty, Xi is trying to promote himself as an important global leader who can contribute new ideas, even as he attempts to consolidate his power at home.

The World Economic Forum has yet to confirm Xi’s attendance at the gathering in Switzerland, which will be held from January 17 to 20. Preparations were well underway for Xi’s visit, the Financial Times quoted two unnamed sources with knowledge of the matter as saying. The Foreign Ministry said it would release related information once it had details.

Hu Yuwei, an economics researcher at Renmin University, said that prior to the forum there would be an annual economic working conference to decide on some major policies, and that Xi would be the best person to send a reassuring message about China’s pro-trade stance.