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Banquet in the Great Hall of the People
Photo: EPN/Newscom/SIPA/action press
China's President Xi Jinping held a banquet for foreign leaders and representatives of international organizations after the opening of the Olympic Games on Saturday.
Among others, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman were on the guest list.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan and Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi also attended.
A handful of heads of state from Europe and the Asia-Pacific region were also invited, Chinese state media reported, including Serbia's President Aleksandar Vučić.
Xi praises the Kazakh president's brutal actions
According to state media, the participants gathered in the Great Hall of the People.
Official photos showed a pompous banquet table with a miniature winter landscape at its center.
Xi had not met any political representatives in person for a good two years because of the corona pandemic.
On the sidelines of the banquet, Xi held one-on-one meetings.
He reiterated his support for Kazakh President Tokayev, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
Kazakhstan was rocked by violent anti-government protests in early January.
According to the information, Beijing praised Tokayev's "tough action" against the demonstrators.
Among other things, the Kazakh head of state had given the security forces an order to shoot.
China stands ready to "help Kazakhstan maintain stability," Xi said, according to a report.
According to the official record of the event, Xi delivered a speech at the banquet, urging those present to "work together for a world of lasting peace."
On Friday, the Chinese President had already closed ranks on security policy with his "old friend" Putin.
He received other foreign guests at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on Friday evening.
A number of Western countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and Denmark, have announced a diplomatic boycott of the Games in protest at Beijing's human rights abuses.
slu/AFP