Since Xi Jinping has begun his third term, much has been written about him delegating more responsibilities to a new crop of trusted subordinates, both domestically and abroad. This is an important development in a tenure that has seen big political shifts in China. It therefore pays to delve into what is different about Xi by considering one of the President’s most important representational roles: that of diplomat.
Over the past years, I have manually built a database of Chinese diplomatic traffic based on the Chinese foreign ministry (MFA)’s online Diplomatic Schedule (外事日程), in part relaying on the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine. My spreadsheet limits itself to all trips related to events listed on that schedule. For consistency’s sake, the analysis below limits itself to visits of ministerial level and above.
The analysis that follows was inspired by two discussions. The first is the suggestion by the editor and reviewers at ISEAS’s Fulcrum to delve more deeply into Xi’s role in ‘peripheral diplomacy’, for a short piece on Southeast Asia. The second was in reply to my all-too-hasty Substack note, which reminded me to stress the political context when discussing changes between PMs Li Keqiang and Li Qiang.
Summary:
- Xi Jinping’s absolute diplomatic role peaked in his first term. His relative weight began when, as Vice President, he neared President Hu going out, and Xi overshadowed his Premier his first and second terms.
- Xi’s personal focus is apparent in growing activity in China’s neighbouring regions at the cost of relative or absolute decline elsewhere. In the other direction, he also took a bigger role hosting the Bo’ao Forum in his first two terms.
- In his third term, Xi again takes it a bit easier and the late-Hu pattern re-establishes itself. The second term diminution of Vice Premiers’ diplomatic role also reverses itself. Xi continues to lead the ranking of domestic hosts by doing much more than his predecessor, a relative position Hu furthermore only reached in his second term but Xi has always held.
- Premier Li Qiang and Foreign Minister Wang Yi have a qualitatively greater role compared to predecessors. The were the first of their ranks to have been trusted to represent China at the G20 and BRICS Summits.
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Everywhere you look, one clear trend stands out: Xi Jinping took on a greater role in diplomacy in absolute and relative terms at the start of his presidency. Already as Vice President, Xi was almost as active as President Hu Jintao. In Xi’s first term, there is a substantial increase in visits of leaders from and to China. In both Xi’s first and second terms, Xi Jinping takes on a bigger relative role. However, in the political new reality of Xi’s third term, he takes a step back again and the late-Hu external role division becomes visible again.
Xi Jinping’s personal attention to diplomacy
Heir apparent Xi Jinping became Vice President in March of 2008. His independence from President Hu Jintao was already noted around his much-discussed meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2009. The data also shows how active he already was.
During Hu’s second term, the top outgoing persons was the predictable line-up of Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (114), Premier Wen Jiabao (62), and President Hu Jintao (49). However, Vice President Xi came a close 4th with 41 trips. We have to wait for Xi’s on-going third term to see the Vice President, Han Zheng, come this close again (17 vs 20), albeit provisionally.
The various initiatives that Xi launched shortly after becoming President included two relevant to diplomatic work. Xi Jinping’s Thought on Diplomacy provides in a guiding role for the General Secretary. In 2013, Xi organised the first ever Central Peripheral Diplomacy Work Conference, which directed more attention to China’s neighbourhood to secure the rising power’s position. The table of Bo’ao Forum for Asia events at the bottom of this post shows Xi took the keynote half the time his first two terms, exceeding Hu. He has not used that podium after 2022.
| Xi Jinping (2013–2025.11) | total Southeast Asia | 18 | |
| total Europe | 40 | ||
| total Africa | 11 | ||
| total Middle East | 6 | ||
| total Central Asia | 16 | ||
| total East Asia | 3 | ||
| total South Asia | 8 | ||
| total EU | 22 | ||
| Hu Jintao (2003–2013) | total Southeast Asia | 9 | |
| total Europe | 32 | ||
| total Africa | 17 | ||
| total Middle East | 3 | ||
| total Central Asia | 14 | ||
| total East Asia | 7 | ||
| total South Asia | 3 | ||
| total EU | 18 | ||
Overall data already shows his focus. Compared to Hu in his 2 terms, Xi in his 2.5 terms so far has been on a similar number of trips to the EU and has visited Africa less. Instead, Xi doubled the number of trips to Southeast Asia and South Asia. Central Asia remains constant but was high already. East Asia is affected by the unique relations with Japan and both Koreas.
Looking at a more granular level, the general pattern in Xi’s role is clear. His special attention for Southeast Asia was clear during his time as Vice President already. In Central Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, the President becomes the second most frequent visitor after the State Councillor/Foreign Minister. As we will now discuss in more detail, in Xi’s third term the President goes back to the position more common under late Hu Jintao.
Return to delegation in Xi’s third term
Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang were often described as factional rivals. In any case, Xi Jinping was engaged in a campaign to centralise political control in his person from the moment he took office as General Secretary in late 2012. The diplomatic patterns show a President in command diplomatically as well.
| Hu Jintao | Wen Jiabao | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 6 | 2012 | 20 |
| 2011 | 7 | 2011 | 9 |
| 2010 | 10 | 2010 | 18 |
| 2009 | 16 | 2009 | 10 |
| 2008 | 10 | 2008 | 5 |
| 2007 | 15 | 2007 | 8 |
| 2006 | 11 | 2006 | 15 |
| 2005 | 11 | 2005 | 11 |
| 2004 | 12 | 2004 | 12 |
| 2003 | 7 | 2003 | 6 |
| Xi Jinping | Premier | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025.11 | 6 | 2025.11 | 12 | |
| 2024 | 10 | 2024 | 13 | |
| 2023 | 4 | Li Qiang | 2023 | 5 |
| 2022 | 5 | 2022 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 0 | 2021 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 1 | 2020 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 11 | 2019 | 5 | |
| 2018 | 13 | 2018 | 9 | |
| 2017 | 8 | 2017 | 8 | |
| 2016 | 16 | 2016 | 10 | |
| 2015 | 16 | 2015 | 12 | |
| 2014 | 22 | 2014 | 16 | |
| 2013 | 15 | Li Keqiang | 2013 | 9 |
However, in the third term we see a return to the late-Hu era pattern. Once again, the State Councillor/Foreign Minister is followed by the Prime Minister as most frequent traveller and only then the President. It appears that Xi does dare to delegate more diplomatic responsibilities to Li Qiang.
Hu Jintao led the same number or more overseas trips than Wen Jiabao until 2009. Then a substantial gap arose. At the same time, as discussed, Vice President Xi neared Hu’s totals as well. However, the entire tenure of Li Keqiang the Premier did not travel more than the President.
The question thus arises if Li Keqiang was an unusually weak Prime Minister. Hu’s pattern makes clear that a diplomatically more active President at the start of his term is not unusual. However, Wen eventually got to lead more trips. Li Keqiang never did and only got to address UNGA once as opposed to Wen’s twice.
| Wen Jiabao | Li Keqiang | Li Qiang | Hu Jintao | Xi Jinping | |
| outgoing | 114 | 70 | 30 | 105 | 127 |
| incoming | 225 | 169 | 73 | 304 | 563 |
Li Qiang is unusual in starting his tenure as Premier later than his President. He gets a high-profile diplomatic role straight out of the gate. Another thing unusual fact, is that Xi trusts him to represent China at major conferences previously only attended by the President himself. Li Qiang represented China at the G20 in 2023 (India) and 2025 (South Africa) and BRICS in 2025 (Brazil). Wang Yi got to represent China at the G20 in 2021 (Italy), but that was when Xi did not travel because of the pandemic.
The more ‘Western’ G20 is perhaps less important than Global South-oriented Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and BRICS. The SCO has its strict rhythm of separate summits for heads of state, heads of government, and foreign ministers. That rhythm continues, so does not need to be spelled out here with even more tables. However, the most recent BRICS Summit is interesting. One can speculate that Xi had seen Lula often enough that year already or that BRICS belongs to the economic territory that was traditionally the responsibility of the Premier.
| hosts in Hu’s 1st term | |
| Li Zhaoxing | 144 |
| Wen Jiabao | 120 |
| Hu Jintao | 115 |
| Yang Jiechi | 28 |
| Tang Jiaxuan | 13 |
| hosts in Hu’s 2nd term | |
| Hu Jintao | 189 |
| Yang Jiechi | 168 |
| Wen Jiabao | 105 |
| Dai Bingguo | 13 |
| hosts in Xi’s 1st term | |
| Xi Jinping | 220 |
| Wang Yi | 179 |
| Li Keqiang | 127 |
| Yang Jiechi | 28 |
| hosts in Xi’s 2nd term | |
| Xi Jinping | 175 |
| Wang Yi | 137 |
| Li Keqiang | 42 |
| Yang Jiechi | 4 |
| Qin Gang | 1 |
| hosts in Xi’s 3rd term | |
| Xi Jinping | 168 |
| Wang Yi | 157 |
| Li Qiang | 73 |
| Qin Gang | 19 |
Looking at the admittedly rough data for officials serving as the main host for incoming delegations, we see a massive increase in receptions under Xi Jinping. Xi Jinping dominates every single term. Yet, whereas Hu Jintao starts his period in office lower in the rankings than his Premier and Foreign Minister, Hu also resumes dominance in his second term. Premier Li Keqiang’s total in the non-pandemic first term is similar to those of Wen and Li Qiang. Wang Yi maintains an impressively busy agenda, but so did his predecessors. The big difference appears to be that Xi does a lot more additional receptions in absolute numbers too.
Looking at both incoming and outgoing data, the role of the Vice Premiers shrank to noticeably small proportions in Xi’s second term. In his third term so far, however, they seem to reappear in the rankings in the usual numbers again. Ding Xuexiang especially stands out, Liu Guozhong less.
| name | rank | date | country | forum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Li Qiang | Prime Minister | 21/11/2025 | South Africa | 20th G20 Summit |
| Xi Jinping | President | 17/11/2024 | Brazil | 19th G20 Summit |
| Li Qiang | Prime Minister | 09/09/2023 | India | 18th G20 Summit |
| Xi Jinping | President | 14/11/2022 | Indonesia | 17th G20 Summit |
| Wang Yi | State Councillor FA | 29/10/2021 | Italy | 16th G20 Summit |
| Xi Jinping | President | 21/11/2020 | Saudi Arabia (online) | 15th G20 Summit |
| Xi Jinping | President | 27/06/2019 | Japan | 14th G20 Summit; BRICS Leaders’ Meeting |
| Xi Jinping | President | 29/11/2018 | Argentina | 13th G20 Summit |
| Xi Jinping | President | 04/07/2017 | Germany | 12th G20 summit; BRICS Informal Summit |
| Xi Jinping | President | 04/09/2016 | China | 11th G20 Summit |
| Xi Jinping | President | 14/11/2015 | Turkey | 10th G20 Summit |
| Xi Jinping | President | 14/11/2014 | Australia | 9th G20 Summit |
| Xi Jinping | President | 04/09/2013 | Russia | 8th G20 Summit; BRICS Informal Summit |
| Hu Jintao | President | 16/06/2012 | Mexico | 7th G20 Summit |
| Hu Jintao | President | 02/11/2011 | France | 6th G20 Summit |
| Hu Jintao | President | 11/11/2010 | South Korea | 5th G20 Summit |
| Hu Jintao | President | 23/06/2010 | Canada | 4th G20 Summit |
| Hu Jintao | President | 24/09/2009 | United States of America | 3rd G20 Summit |
| Hu Jintao | President | 01/04/2009 | United Kingdom | 2nd G20 Summit |
| Hu Jintao | President | 14/11/2008 | United States of America | 1st G20 Summit |
| name | rank | date | country | forum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Li Qiang | Prime Minister | 05/07/2025 | Brazil | 17th BRICS Summit |
| Xi Jinping | President | 22/10/2024 | Russia | 16th BRICS Summit |
| Xi Jinping | President | 21/08/2023 | South Africa | 15th BRICS Summit; China-Africa Leaders’ Dialogue |
| Xi Jinping | President | 23/06/2022 | China (online) | 14th BRICS Summit |
| Xi Jinping | President | 09/09/2021 | India (online) | 13th BRICS Summit |
| Xi Jinping | President | 17/11/2020 | Russia (online) | 12th BRICS Summit |
| Xi Jinping | President | 12/11/2019 | Brazil | 11th BRICS Summit |
| Xi Jinping | President | 23/07/2018 | South Africa | 10th BRICS Summit |
| Xi Jinping | President | 03/09/2017 | China | 9th BRICS Summit |
| Xi Jinping | President | 15/10/2016 | India | 8th BRICS Summit |
| Xi Jinping | President | 08/07/2015 | Russia | 7th BRICS Summit; SCO Heads of State Meeting |
| Xi Jinping | President | 14/07/2014 | Brazil | 6th BRICS Summit; China-LAC Countries Leaders’ Meeting |
| Xi Jinping | President | 25/03/2013 | South Africa | 5th BRICS Summit |
| Hu Jintao | President | 28/03/2012 | India | 4th BRICS Summit |
| Hu Jintao | President | 14/04/2011 | China | 3rd BRICS Summit |
| Hu Jintao | President | 14/04/2010 | Brazil | 2nd BRICS Summit |
| Hu Jintao | President | 14/06/2009 | Russia | 1st BRICS Summit; SCO Heads of State Meeting |
| name | rank | date | forum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Li Qiang | Prime Minister | 22/09/2025 | 80th UN General Assembly |
| Wang Yi | Foreign Minister | 22/09/2024 | 79th UN General Assembly; UN Summit of the Future; BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting; G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting |
| Han Zheng | Vice President | 18/09/2023 | 78th UN General Assembly |
| Wang Yi | State Councillor FA | 18/09/2022 | 77th UN General Assembly; BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting; CELAC; GCC; UNSG |
| Xi Jinping | President | 21/09/2021 | 76th UN General Assembly (online) |
| Wang Yi | State Councillor FA | 03/12/2020 | UN General Assembly Special Session in Response to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic (online) |
| Wang Yi | State Councillor FA | 23/09/2019 | 74th UN General Assembly; UN Climate Action Summit |
| Wang Yi | State Councillor FA | 28/09/2018 | 73rd UN General Assembly |
| Wang Yi | Foreign Minister | 21/09/2017 | 72nd UN General Assembly |
| Li Keqiang | Prime Minister | 18/09/2016 | 71st UN General Assembly |
| Xi Jinping | President | 26/09/2015 | 70th UN General Assembly; 70th Anniversary of the UN |
| Wang Yi | Foreign Minister | 24/09/2014 | 69th UN General Assembly |
| Wang Yi | Foreign Minister | 22/09/2013 | 68th UN General Assembly |
| Yang Jiechi | Foreign Minister | 27/09/2012 | 67th UN General Assembly |
| Yang Jiechi | Foreign Minister | 21/09/2011 | 66th UN General Assembly |
| Wen Jiabao | Prime Minister | 21/09/2010 | 65th UN General Assembly; UN High-level Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals |
| Hu Jintao | President | 22/09/2009 | 64th UN General Assembly; UN Climate Conference |
| Wen Jiabao | Prime Minister | 23/09/2008 | 63rd UN General Assembly; UN High-level Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals |
| Yang Jiechi | Foreign Minister | 19/09/2007 | 62nd UN General Assembly; China-Africa Foreign Ministers’ Political Consultations |
| Li Zhaoxing | Foreign Minister | 17/09/2006 | 61st UN General Assembly |
| Li Zhaoxing | Foreign Minister | 18/09/2005 | 60th UN General Assembly |
| Li Zhaoxing | Foreign Minister | 26/09/2004 | 59th UN General Assembly |
| Li Zhaoxing | Foreign Minister | 24/09/2003 | 58th UN General Assembly |
| name | rank | date | country | forum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Li Qiang | Prime Minister | 27/10/2025 | Malaysia | 28th China-ASEAN Summit; 28th ASEAN Plus Three Summit; 20th East Asia Summit; 5th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Leaders’ Meeting |
| Li Qiang | Prime Minister | 09/10/2024 | Laos | 27th China-ASEAN Summit; 27th ASEAN Plus Three Summit; 19th East Asia Summit |
| Li Qiang | Prime Minister | 05/09/2023 | Indonesia | 26th China-ASEAN Summit; 26th ASEAN Plus Three Summit; 18th East Asia Summit |
| Li Keqiang | Prime Minister | 08/11/2022 | Cambodia | 25th China-ASEAN Summit; 25th ASEAN Plus Three Summit; 17th East Asia Summit |
| Li Keqiang | Prime Minister | 26/10/2021 | Brunei (online) | 24th China-ASEAN Summit; 24th ASEAN Plus Three Summit; 16th East Asia Summit |
| Li Keqiang | Prime Minister | 12/11/2020 | Vietnam (online) | 23rd China-ASEAN Summit; 23rd ASEAN Plus Three Summit; 15th East Asia Summit; 4th RCEP Summit; ABIS |
| Li Keqiang | Prime Minister | 02/11/2019 | Thailand | 22th China-ASEAN Summit; 22th ASEAN Plus Three Summit; 14th East Asia Summit |
| Li Keqiang | Prime Minister | 12/11/2018 | Singapore | 21st China-ASEAN Summit; 21st ASEAN Plus Three Summit; 13th East Asia Summit |
| Li Keqiang | Prime Minister | 12/11/2017 | Philippines | 20th China-ASEAN Summit; 20th ASEAN Plus Three Summit; 12th East Asia Summit |
| Li Keqiang | Prime Minister | 06/09/2016 | Laos | 19th China-ASEAN Summit; 19th ASEAN Plus Three Summit; 11th East Asia Summit |
| Li Keqiang | Prime Minister | 20/11/2015 | Malaysia | 18th China-ASEAN Summit; 18th ASEAN Plus Three Summit; 10th East Asia Summit |
| Li Keqiang | Prime Minister | 12/11/2014 | Myanmar | 17th China-ASEAN 10+1, 17th China-Japan-SouthKorea-ASEAN 10+3 |
| Li Keqiang | Prime Minister | 09/10/2013 | Brunei | 16th China-ASEAN Summit; 16th ASEAN Plus Three Summit; 8th East Asia Summit |
| Wen Jiabao | Prime Minister | 18/11/2012 | Cambodia | 15th China-ASEAN Summit; 15th ASEAN Plus Three Anniversary Summit; 7th East Asia Summit |
| Wen Jiabao | Prime Minister | 17/11/2011 | Indonesia | 14th China-ASEAN Summit; 14th ASEAN Plus Three Summit; 6th East Asia Summit |
| Wen Jiabao | Prime Minister | 28/10/2010 | Vietnam | 13th China-ASEAN Summit; 13th ASEAN Plus Three Summit; 5th East Asia Summit; China-Japan-ROK Leaders’ Meeting |
| Wen Jiabao | Prime Minister | 23/10/2009 | Thailand | 12h China-ASEAN Summit; 12th ASEAN Plus Three Summit; 4th East Asia Summit |
| Wen Jiabao | Prime Minister | 18/11/2007 | Singapore | 11th China-ASEAN Summit; 11th ASEAN Plus Three Summit; 3rd East Asia Summit; 8th China-Japan-ROK Summit |
| Wen Jiabao | Prime Minister | 13/01/2007 | Philippines | 10th China-ASEAN Summit; 10h ASEAN Plus Three Summit; 2nd East Asia Summit; 7th China-Japan-ROK Summit |
| Wen Jiabao | Prime Minister | 12/12/2005 | Malaysia | 9th China-ASEAN Summit; 9th ASEAN-China, Japan and South Korea Leaders’ Meeting; 1st East Asia Summit (EAS) |
| Wen Jiabao | Prime Minister | 28/11/2004 | Laos | 8th China-ASEAN Summit; 8th ASEAN-China-Japan-ROK Leaders’ Meeting; 6th China-Japan-ROK Leaders’ Meeting |
| Wen Jiabao | Prime Minister | 07/10/2003 | Indonesia | 7th China-ASEAN Summit; 7th ASEAN-China-Japan-ROK (10+3) Leaders’ Meeting; 5th China-Japan-ROK Leaders’ Meeting; 1st ASEAN Business and Investment Summit |
| Wen Jiabao | Prime Minister | 29/04/2003 | Thailand | China-ASEAN Leaders’ Special Meeting on SARS |
| Zhu Rongji | Prime Minister | 04/11/2002 | Cambodia | 6th China-ASEAN Summit |
| Zhu Rongji | Prime Minister | 06/11/2001 | Brunei | 5th China-ASEAN Summit |
| Zhu Rongji | Prime Minister | 25/11/2000 | Singapore | 4th China-ASEAN Summit |
| Zhu Rongji | Prime Minister | 28/11/1999 | Philippines | 3rd China-ASEAN Summit |
| Hu Jintao | Vice President | 16/12/1998 | Vietnam | 2nd China-ASEAN Summit |
| Jiang Zemin | President | 14/12/1997 | Malaysia | 1st China-ASEAN Summit; ASEAN-China-Japan-ROK (10+3) Leaders’ Meeting |
| year | main speaker | rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Zhu Rongji | Premier | 《携手共创新世纪新亚洲美好未来》 |
| 2003 | Wen Jiabao | Premier | 《把握机遇迎接挑战实现共赢》 |
| 2004 | Hu Jintao | President | 《中国的发展 亚洲的机遇》 |
| 2005 | Jia Qinglin | CPCCC Chair | 《推进全面合作 共建和谐繁荣的亚洲》 |
| 2006 | Zeng Qinghong | Vice President | 《把握亚洲新的机会共创世界美好未来》 |
| 2007 | Wu Bangguo | NPC SC Chair | 《开创亚洲和平合作和谐新局面》 |
| 2008 | Hu Jintao | President | 《坚持改革开放 推进合作共赢》 |
| 2009 | Wen Jiabao | Premier | 《凝聚共识，促进亚洲健康可持续发展》 |
| 2010 | Xi Jinping | Vice President | 《携手推进亚洲绿色发展和可持续发展》 |
| 2011 | Hu Jintao | President | 《推动共同发展共建和谐亚洲》 |
| 2012 | Li Keqiang | Vice Premier | 《凝聚共识，促进亚洲健康可持续发展》 |
| 2013 | Xi Jinping | President | 共同创造亚洲和世界的美好未来 |
| 2014 | Li Keqiang | Premier | 《共同开创亚洲发展新未来》 |
| 2015 | Xi Jinping | President | 《迈向命运共同体 开创亚洲新未来》 |
| 2016 | Li Keqiang | Premier | 共绘充满活力的亚洲新愿景 |
| 2017 | Zhang Gaoli | Vice Premier | 携手推进经济全球化 共同开创亚洲和世界美好未来 |
| 2018 | Xi Jinping | President | 开放共创繁荣 创新引领未来 |
| 2019 | Li Keqiang | Premier | 《携手应对挑战 实现共同发展》 |
| 2020 | – | – | – |
| 2021 | Xi Jinping | President | 《同舟共济克时艰，命运与共创未来》 |
| 2022 | Xi Jinping | President | 《携手迎接挑战，合作开创未来》 |
| 2023 | Li Keqiang | Premier | 《以人类命运共同体理念为引领 为世界和平与发展注入更多确定性》 |
| 2024 | Zhao Leji | NPC SC Chair | 《团结协作，共迎挑战，携手开创亚洲和世界美好未来》 |
| 2025 | Ding Xuexiang | Vice Premier | 共迎全球挑战 共建亚洲家园 |
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