China’s Xi to visit France, Serbia, Hungary as Beijing appears to seek a larger role in Ukraine

BEIJING, China (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit France, Serbia and Hungary next week as Beijing appears to seek a larger role in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine that has upended global political and economic security. China’s Foreign Ministry says the visit by Xi, China’s president and head of the ruling Communist Party, is his first to Europe in five years and will “inject new momentum to the peaceful development of the world.” China claims neutrality in the Ukraine conflict, but Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin declared their governments had a “no limits friendship” before Moscow’s February 2022 attack on Ukraine. The Foreign Ministry said Xi’s visit will begin April 5 and end April 10 but gave no further details.