Sheinbaum Flies Commercial to China for APEC, Back by Nov. 20

President Claudia Sheinbaum left Mexico for China on a commercial flight, boarding at around 00:40 for a trip to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ meeting in Shenzhen, according to Expansión Política. She will be away until Friday, Nov. 20, and the daily morning press conference at Palacio Nacional will be led by someone else while she is gone.

The journey takes about 21 hours, with a stopover in Tijuana. China is 14 hours ahead of Mexico, so she is due to land on Monday, Nov. 16.

Sheinbaum’s schedule in Shenzhen

Her first event after arriving on Nov. 16 is a meeting with members of the Mexican community living in China. Mexico’s official participation in APEC then runs from Nov. 17 to Nov. 19. The outlet reports that the program includes meetings with business leaders, bilateral talks with other governments, and a speech by Sheinbaum to representatives of the forum’s member economies.

Shenzhen is hosting this year’s APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting. Expansión Política did not report which governments Sheinbaum is scheduled to meet one on one.

Who is traveling with the president

Five cabinet members are part of the delegation:

• Marcelo Ebrard, secretary of the economy
• Roberto Velasco, head of foreign affairs
• Alicia Bárcena, secretary of the environment
• Rosaura Ruiz, head of science and technology
• Luz Elena González, secretary of energy

The ministers in charge of the economy, foreign affairs and energy are all on the trip.

What it means for the mañanera and Revolution Day

While Sheinbaum is in Asia, Rosa Icela Rodríguez, head of the Secretaría de Gobernación (Mexico’s interior ministry), will host the mañanera, the president’s weekday morning press conference at Palacio Nacional. Sheinbaum has said she plans to join one of those broadcasts remotely. She did not say which day.

Under the notice the government sent to the Senate, the trip ends Friday, Nov. 20. She is expected back in the early hours of that day because she is scheduled to lead the events marking the 116th anniversary of the start of the Mexican Revolution. For residents of the capital, that means the president plans to be in the city for the Nov. 20 commemorations, despite the long flight home.

Why a commercial flight

Sheinbaum has kept to commercial airlines for this trip, which is why it includes a stop in Tijuana and an outbound journey of roughly 21 hours. Expansión Política did not report the airline or the cost of the tickets.

What to watch next

The main dates are the arrival and the meeting with Mexicans in China on Nov. 16, the APEC sessions from Nov. 17 to Nov. 19, and her return early on Nov. 20 for the Revolution anniversary events. Until then, the morning briefings at Palacio Nacional will come from Rodríguez, with one planned remote appearance by the president.

Source: Expansión Política