The rumours have been circulating for several months. The President of the People's Republic of China, His Excellency Mr Xi Jingping, will be arriving in Belgium this Sunday 30th March for an official visit lasting three days. He will be accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Peng Liyuan.

The presidential couple will be welcomed by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde and will attend the welcoming ceremony in Brussels (Place des Palais). On Sunday afternoon, the delegation will then go to the Pairi Daiza wildlife park in Wallonia to visit Xing Hui and Hao Hao, the two giant pandas that China recently lent to Belgium. This loan has very significant symbolic value for China which considers giant pandas as real national treasures.

Monday will be dedicated to the European institutions. The Chinese President will meet each of the Presidents of the European Council, European Parliament, and European Commission in turn. President Xi Jinping will also travel to the North of the country, notably to see the Volvo Gent production line. This will be a chance for him to meet with employees that have worked in Chengdu.

This is not the first time that Xi Jinping has been to Belgium. He already made an official visit in October 2009, while he was the vice-president. Belgium and China established diplomatic relations in 1971. Since then, two kings, Baudouin and Albert II have made official visits to the "Middle Kingdom", the second even celebrating his 71st birthday there in 2005.

Our two countries have also become important economic partners. Queen Mathilde was in Hong Hong last December for Business Design Week, during which Belgium was under the spotlight. In 2011, Philippe, still crown prince at the time, went to China for an economic mission.