Chinese President Xi Jinping pays a state visit to Greece and attends the 11th BRICS summit in Brazil, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump in Washington DC, Afghanistan's electoral authorities announce presidential election results, and France remains in turmoil a year after the yellow vests movement began. 

Xi's trip

At the invitation of Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Greece and attend the 11th BRICS summit in Brasilia, capital of Brazil.

Noting that China and Greece are each other's good and true friend, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Qin Gang at Thursday's press conference said President Xi's visit has historical significance in inheriting the past and opening the future for the development of Sino-Greek relations. It will also advance efforts in jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative. 

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How will China, Greece plan for further cooperation during Xi's visit?

The 11th BRICS summit will take place in Brasilia from November 13 to 14. President Xi's attendance marks a major diplomatic activity for China to face emerging markets and developing countries, said Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu.

Erdogan-Trump meeting

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by phone with U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday and the two leaders reconfirmed they will meet in Washington on November 13 at Trump's invitation, Turkish officials said. 

Earlier this week, three Turkish officials said Erdogan might call off the visit in protest of votes in the U.S. House of Representatives to recognize mass killings of Armenians a century ago as a genocide and to seek sanctions on Turkey. 

Turkish sources also noted Trump and Erdogan have a strong bond despite anger in Congress over Turkey's Syria offensive and its purchase of Russian air defense system, and despite what Ankara sees as the U.S. president's own erratic pronouncements.

Yellow Vest anniversary

On November 17, 2018, over 300,000 protesters blocked roads and gas stations in France, and the iconic Champ-Elysees, Triumphal Arch and Eiffel Tower were vandalized. The demonstrators called for lower fuel taxes, an increase in the minimum wage and French President Emmanuel Macron's resignation. 

A year after the outbreak of the protests, France remains in turmoil from the yellow vests movement.

Day by day

Monday: EU foreign affairs ministers meet in Brussels to discuss Venezuela, Turkey and northern Syria, Afghanistan and Sudan; German Chancellor Angela Merkel pays a short visit to Rome, Italy. 

Tuesday: Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen meets Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Vienna; BRICS summit is held in Brasilia; EU Foreign Affairs Council (Defense) meeting is held in Brussels. 

Wednesday: UK's Prince Charles visits India (to November 14); 9th anniversary of the release of Myanmar's detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest; President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan pays an official visit to Washington and meets with U.S. President Donald Trump. 

Thursday: Results of Afghan presidential election are announced. 

Friday: Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia begin their first state visit to Cuba where they will attend the celebrations of Havana's 500 years of founding.

Saturday: A quiet day for politics.

Sunday: Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall visits New Zealand (to November 23); Belarusian Chamber of Representatives election; Sri Lanka holds referendum election; Yellow Vests anniversary.

(Cover photo by CGTN's Yin Yating)