Briefly

CHINA

Xi's envoy to attend Maduro's inauguration

President Xi Jinping's special envoy and Vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Wang Dongming will attend the inauguration of Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Thursday. Maduro, who has served as president since 2013, won the election in July and will be sworn in for a six-year term on Friday. China and Venezuela elevated their bilateral relationship to an all-weather strategic partnership in 2023.

Grenada's PM to pay 7-day visit

Grenada's Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell will pay a seven-day visit to China starting Saturday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Thursday. Mitchell will meet Chinese leaders and the two sides will have in-depth exchanges on issues of common concern, Guo said. In addition to Beijing, the trip also includes Zhejiang province and Shanghai. The visit comes at a special moment, as this year marks the 20th anniversary of the resumption of diplomatic relations between China and the Caribbean country, Guo said.

LEBANON

Army commander elected president

Lebanon's parliament elected army commander Joseph Aoun head of state on Thursday, filling a more than two-year presidential vacuum. "The speaker announces that the president is Joseph Aoun," Speaker Nabih Berri said, reporting that Aoun received 99 out of 128 votes after failing to get a required majority in the first round earlier in the day. The presidency has been vacant since Michel Aoun's term ended in October 2022.

China Daily - Agencies