Chinese president leaves for Obama meeting

Chinese President Xi Jinping left Friday for state visits to Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica and Mexico, as well as a meeting with US President Barack Obama, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported. Xi is making the visits at the invitation of President of Trinidad and Tobago Anthony Carmona, President of Costa Rica Laura Chinchilla, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and Obama. The China-US presidential summit scheduled for June 7-8 in California reflects the importance and uniqueness of bilateral relations, Assistant Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang told a press briefing on Wednesday, according to Xinhua. It will be the first face-to-face meeting between the presidents of China and the US since both nations carried out their most recent leadership transitions. "Both sides believe the summit arrangement is appropriate and shows the importance and uniqueness of China-US relations," Zheng was quoted as saying. During the summit, Xi and Obama will have extensive and in-depth discussions of important and strategic issues of common concern, deepen understanding, enhance strategic trust, promote pragmatic cooperation and give guidance on building a new type of relations between big powers, he said.