Chinese President Xi Jinping pays a state visit to Myanmar; the United States holds final Democratic debate.

Xi's Myanmar visit 

At the invitation of Myanmar's President U Win Myint, Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a two-day state visit to Myanmar on January 17 and 18, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Friday. 

It is the first visit by a Chinese president to Myanmar in 19 years. 

During his visit, Xi is expected to meet Myanmar's President U Win Myint, State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and officials from Myanmar's Assembly of the Union and the military, vice foreign minister Luo Zhaohui said at a media briefing on Friday.

Final Democratic debate in U.S.

The debate for Democratic presidential candidates to oppose Republican U.S. President Donald Trump in the November 2020 election is set for coming Tuesday.  

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Joe Biden, the Democratic front-runner in opinion polls, entered the race in April, opening his campaign with a swipe at Trump. The 70-year-old Elizabeth Warren's campaign has surged in recent months, equaling Biden in some polls. Bernie Sanders lost the Democratic nomination in 2016 to Hillary Clinton, but he's trying again. The 37-year-old Pete Buttigieg built momentum with young voters. 

The rest of the Democratic field is a mix of seasoned politicians, wealthy business people and others looking to break into or regain their toehold in the top tier of contenders.

Day by day 

Monday: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meets Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel in Luxembourg city 

Tuesday: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov meets his Sri Lankan counterpart Dinesh Gunawardena in Colombo; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves embarks on his first-ever visit to Russia (to January 17); European Commission Vice Presidents Vera Jourova and Dubravka Suica present the bloc's executive plan for the Conference on the Future of Europe; final Democratic debate starts in the U.S. 

Wednesday: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visits Uzbekistan (to January 16)

Thursday: A quiet day for politics 

Friday: Chinese President Xi Jinping pays a state visit to Myanmar (to January 18) 

Saturday and Sunday: A quiet weekend for politics 

(Cover pic by CGTN's Li Yueyun)