BEIJING -- China is receiving foreign dignitaries outside of Beijing, in a break from pre-pandemic custom, as the country tries to advance its diplomatic agenda while maintaining strict coronavirus measures in the capital.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi has embarked on a diplomatic blitz after his contentious meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Alaska in mid-March. But while most important meetings were held in Beijing before the pandemic hit, recent gatherings seem to be happening anywhere else.