Political Calendar: Wang Yi's Central Asian tour, Biden hosts Merkel

APD NEWS

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In the upcoming week, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and attend a series of meetings, and U.S. President Joe Biden will host German Chancellor Angela Merkel for "deep and enduring" ties.

Wang Yi in Central Asian countries as SCO marks 20th anniversary

Next week will be a busy one for Wang Yi.

Besides visiting Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the Chinese foreign minister will also attend the meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the foreign ministers' meeting of the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group and the high-level international meeting on "Central and South Asia: Regional Connectivity Challenges and Opportunities" from July 12 to 16.

His tours come as the SCO celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, and the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said it will be an important diplomatic mission aimed at "consolidating traditional friendship and cooperation with Central Asian countries, advancing the development of the SCO, promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan, and strengthening joint efforts to build the Belt and Road Initiative and enhance connectivity."

Biden-Merkel meeting for 'deep and enduring' ties

Biden will host a meeting with Merkel on Thursday after hosting two other world leaders since taking office, Japan and South Korea.

It will also likely be Merkel's farewell visit to the United States after almost 16 years at the helm of Europe's largest economy.

The White House said on July 9 that the two leaders will affirm "deep and enduring" ties between the NATO allies while also tackling some areas of disagreement.

The trip is scheduled just days after a July 10 deadline for Europe and the United States to settle a nearly 17-year-old dispute over government subsidies to Airbus and Boeing.

Day by day:

**Monday: **Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi starts his visits to central Asian countries; Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov meets Sudan's Foreign Minister Mariam Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi ; German Chancellor Angela Merkel receives Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ; the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg meets with Israeli Alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid ; the meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Council is held.

**Tuesday: **The 47th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council concludes; the Shanghai Cooperation Organization foreign ministers meet in Tajikistan.

**Wednesday: **France celebrates Bastille Day; the sixth anniversary of the Iranian nuclear deal.

**Thursday: **U.S. President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Angela Merkel confer at the White House.

FridaySaturday: Quiet days in politics.

**Sunday: **The International Nelson Mandela Day.