French President Macron spoils Emperor Xi’s coronation ceremony.

Before the 20th Party Congress, Beijing was engaged in frantic diplomacy to ensure that top global leaders pay a state visit to China to congratulate Xi Jinping on his re-election as President for the third time. French President Macron has declined the invitation, but German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will be in President Xi’s court next week.

Even before the Communist Party of China went through the elaborate formality of electing Xi Jinping as President for a third term, Beijing was engaged in frantic diplomacy following the October party congress to ensure that the world celebrated the re-election of the supreme leader.

As part of this exercise, Chinese ambassadors were asked to secure congratulatory messages from the leaders of the countries to which they were posted. Foreign Minister Wang Yi was tasked with inviting global leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron and German President Olaf Scholz to President Xi’s court before the G-20 Bali summit on November 15-16.

Minor tributary states such as Pakistan, Vietnam, and Tanzania were also invited to greet the leader of the Middle Kingdom, or the Civilized Center of the World, as Imperial China described itself. According to top diplomats, the invitation process began at least two months before Emperor Xi’s coronation following the conclusion of the party congress on October 22.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is expected to arrive in Beijing on November 3-4 with an extensive trade delegation to continue his predecessor Angela Merkel’s pro-China trade policies. Germany has chosen to ignore the advice to decouple from China, and the latter is investing billions in a container terminal in Hamburg, the largest port city in northern Germany, through COCSO.