Xi Jinping’s expo a global exercise in public relations

President Xi is using an import expo in Shanghai next week to stake out China’s expanding role in world trade.

Chinese President Xi Jinping. Picture: AFP

China’s President Xi Jinping is using an import expo in Shanghai next week to stake out China’s expanding role in world trade, inviting leaders from 18 countries to attend the event, including Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Kahn and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs this week announced the list of world leaders invited to ­attend the expo, which has taken on an added public relations ­impetus for the Chinese government as it is under attack from US President Donald Trump’s trade wars.

These include the presidents of the Czech Republic, Kenya, Lithuania, El Salvador, Panama, the Cook Islands and the Swiss Federation and the prime ministers of Hungary, Egypt, Georgia, Laos and Malta.

Australia will be represented by Trade Minister Simon Birmingham, the first visit to China by an Australian minister under the Morrison government.

Government officials from more than 150 countries and ­regions are expected to be in Shanghai for the event. Some 82 countries, including Australia, will have pavilions at the expo.

Announced last year as part of his goal of further opening up China to foreign companies, the expo is a platform for foreign companies to showcase their wares to sell into China.

Mr Xi is expected to use his opening speech next Monday to announce new measures to further open up the Chinese economy to foreign businesses.

The speech is expected to continue to pitch China as a country opening up its economy and open to world trade, staking out its position as a supporter of an open world trading order at a time when Mr Trump is leading the charge for protectionism.

By inviting the leaders of 18 countries, Mr Xi is signalling China has the potential to do more business with the rest of the world as the US makes life more difficult for Chinese ­exporters and investors.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs last week said more than 2800 companies from more than 130 countries and regions had confirmed their participation.

The Trump administration has decided to snub the event, declining to send political figures to the expo despite the fact that almost 180 US companies, including Microsoft, Intel, General Electric, the Walt Disney Company and United Airlines, will be pitching their wares at the event.

Chinese Ministry of Commerce officials said this week they saw the event as helping to provide momentum to economic growth.

There is increasing concern that the US-led trade wars could lead to a further slowdown in the economy with Mr Trump now threatening to impose more tariffs on China’s $US500 billion a year export trade with the US.

Mr Xi is set to meet Mr Trump on the sidelines of the G20 ­meeting in Argentina in late ­November.