We start in Beijing, where China's Foreign Ministry has held a press conference on President Xi Jinping's visit to Japan for the 14th G20 Summit. The gathering will convene in Japan's second-largest city Osaka on Friday and Saturday. It will be President Xi Jinping's first trip to Japan since taking office in 2013. The Chinese leader is also expected to meet with US president Donald Trump at the sidelines of the summit. Here's CGTN's Zou Yun with more.

A strong supporter of multilateralism and a firm believer in free trade. That's the image China wants to show to the world at this week's G20 summit in Osaka.

Assistant Foreign Minister Zhang Jun said Monday that President Xi's schedule in Japan will be a full one, including plenary sessions, multiple bilateral meetings, informal meetings with several countries, and joint discussions on global development issues, like the world economy and climate change.

Zhang called the G20 a key platform for global policy coordination, and said China hopes to contribute to a fruitful summit. He also called on other countries to uphold multilateralism, and seek common solutions that rise above short-term interests.

ZHANG JUN ASSISTANT CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER "China will work with all parties to firmly uphold multilateralism. The international community has fully recognized the repercussions of unilateralism, protectionism and bullying practices. We have sent a strong message together to support multilateralism and to oppose to protectionism. Under the current situation, the G20 Summit should broadly uphold multilateralism, maintain international order based on international law and safeguard international fairness and justice."

Hotly anticipated is an expected encounter between Chinese president Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump at the summit's sidelines. The meeting is seen as key in solving the countries' trade dispute.

Senior Chinese officials say working teams from both countries are in communication on the possible solutions to their existing differences.

For Beijing, respect and mutual benefit are pivotal to the trade dialogue. China believes both countries should stick to WTO rules, and that compromises should be made on both sides.

WANG SHOUWEN CHINESE VICE COMMERCE MINISTER "President Xi Jinping spoke to President Trump on June 18th. The two leaders agreed to continue to communicate on the economic and trade differences between the two sides. Currently the trade negotiation team of the two countries are implementing the important consensus of the two heads of state. As for China, we stick to the principles of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit. Mutual respect means respect for each other's sovereignty; The agreements should be beneficial to both sides; And each side needs to make compromises and concessions."

ZOU YUN BEIJING "In recent years, rising unilateralism and protectionism have brought both uncertainties and risks to the global economy. Senior Chinese officials hope G20 member countries can build consensus in upholding multilateralism, to bring new momentum and vitality to global growth. ZY, CGTN, BJ."