World leaders flock to Hangzhou for the G20 Summit

Global heads of state are continuing to arrive in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou for the G20 Summit, which will be held on September 4 and 5.

The theme of the event for this year is "Towards an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy."

The President of Argentina Mauricio Macri was the first among G20 world leaders to arrive on Friday morning. He is on his first visit to China since taking office in 2015.

Argentina will chair the G20 Summit in 2018.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has also landed in Hangzhou and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday. Xi noted that China and Indonesia have always been good neighbors, partners, and friends. The two sides agreed to positively cooperate on the maritime silk roads and Global Maritime Axis to ensure the smooth implementation of the high-speed rail project between Jakarta and Bandung, and to expand cooperation in areas such as infrastructure investment, trade, finance, and e-commerce.

Xi has also met with Senegalese President Macky Sall, who arrived in the host city on Thursday night. Xi said China and Senegal should continue to utilize the advantages of their economic complementarity, facilitate the process of industrialization and agricultural modernization, and closely cooperate on international affairs.

Macky said he appreciated the invitation to this G20 Summit as the chairman of the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), and noted his gratitude for China’s long-term support to Senegal and the African continent. He also said he believed the G20 Summit will install new energy to the global economy, especially to the economic development of the African continent.  

South African President Jacob Zuma has also landed in Hangzhou on Friday. As the only permanent African member of the G20, South Africa is expected to raise issues concerning weak economic growth, terrorism and underdevelopment, which all affect the continent and the global South.

During his time in Hangzhou, Zuma is set to meet with his Chinese counterpart as well as leaders of the BRICS nations.

Meanwhile, the leaders of Chad, Laos, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Singapore as well as the newly-elected Brazilian President Michel Temer have also arrived in the city, among others. The president of Chad has been invited as the current chair of the African Union, with Laos being the ASEAN Chair for 2016. Singapore has also been invited to take part in the summit as a guest country.