UN chief heads to China to meet president and give speech

UNITED NATIONS — U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is flying to China where he will meet President Xi Jinping and senior officials, visit the China Peacekeeping Police Training Center, and deliver an address to a major Asian gathering.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters Friday that Guterres will meet Xi on Sunday.

The two leaders are also scheduled to address the opening session of the Boao Forum for Asia in Hainan province on Sunday. Some commentators refer to Boao as the World Economic Forum of Asia.

Last May, Guterres spoke at a conference in Beijing hosted by Xi where he drew comparisons between China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative to build railways, ports and other facilities linking Asia with Europe with U.N. goals for 2030 to eradicate extreme poverty and protect the environment.