BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to Peru and Brazil next week for meetings of APEC and the G20, Beijing’s foreign ministry said Friday.

Xi will go to Lima from November 13 to 17 and Rio de Janeiro from November 17 to 21, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement.

In Peru, Xi will “attend the 31st APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting and pay a state visit”, Hua said.

And in Brazil, he will participate in a summit of G20 leaders, Beijing said.

China is Brazil’s top trading partner, exceeding $180 billion in each-way trade in 2023, with semiconductors, phones and pharmaceuticals dominating exports to the South American country.

Since returning to power last year, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has carried out a delicate balancing act as he seeks to deepen ties with China while improving relations with the United States.

‘President Xi’s shared prosperity model’

Both Brazil and China have sought to position themselves as mediators in the conflict in Ukraine, while declining to sanction Russia for its invasion.

A visit this year by Vice President Geraldo Alckmin was seen as paving the way for Brazil to join China’s massive Belt and Road Initiative infrastructure project.

A number of South American nations, including Peru, have signed up to the initiative, a central pillar of President Xi’s bid to expand China’s clout overseas.