Hong Kong leader John Lee greets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Peru ahead of Apec summit
John Lee also expected to sign free-trade agreement with Peru in culmination of year-long negotiations
Hong Kong’s leader has welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping upon his arrival in Peru, as the pair prepare to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in the capital of the South American country.
Video released by the Hong Kong government showed Lee shaking hands and exchanging words with Xi on the tarmac at the Jorge Chavez International Airport shortly after the latter touched down in Lima accompanied by about 400 businesspeople and entrepreneurs on Thursday.
A focal point of Xi’s visit on Thursday was a virtual inauguration of Peru’s new US$3.5 billion Chancay port funded and operated by China. Beijing and Lima also plan to sign about 30 bilateral deals during Xi’s visit, including an updated free-trade agreement.
Xi is expected to hold what could be his last meeting with lame-duck United States President Joe Biden on Saturday.
It will mark Biden and Xi’s first known interaction since an April phone call and their first in-person meeting since they conferred on the sidelines of last year’s Apec meeting in California.
Meanwhile, Lee on Thursday called on a firm specialising in alpaca fibres to explore business opportunities to promote cooperation between Peruvian and Hong Kong companies.
