Xi To Host Banquet For Visiting Leaders At Winter Olympics

China's President Xi Jinping will host a banquet for heads of state and international organisations coming to the Winter Olympics, state media reported Friday, as some Western nations choose to diplomatically boycott the Games. State broadcaster CCTV released an updated list of dignitaries for next Friday's opening ceremony which included many of China's neighbours, a host of royals and leaders from key autocratic nations.

Among the more than 20 foreign visitors on the list were Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Russia's Vladimir Putin was last year the first foreign leader to confirm his presence at the Beijing Olympics and was included on the list released Friday. The dignitaries will attend the February 4 opening ceremony, a welcome banquet and "relevant bilateral activities" with Xi, CCTV reported.

Their presence comes despite a US-led diplomatic boycott by countries including Britain, Canada, Australia and Denmark over China's human rights record.

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