[Preview] What’s happening in the world next week: China Daily

The New Zealand PM will pay an official visit to China; NATO will mark its 70th anniversary; Japan will name a new imperial epoch; China and the US will hold the ninth round of trade talks; and more Brexit debates and votes will likely happen. China Daily announced the international events for the week starting April 1.

New Zealand PM to visit China

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will pay an official visit to China from March 31 to April 1 at the invitation of her Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang.

This will be her first official visit to China as prime minister of New Zealand.

During the visit, leaders of the two sides will have an in-depth exchange of views on China-New Zealand relations and other issues of mutual interest.

More Brexit debates and votes

British lawmakers are due to take control of parliamentary business on April 1 when they will likely vote on a narrowed-down list of alternative Brexit plans, designed to discover if there is a majority in parliament for any next step.

This follows a series of votes on Wednesday, in which eight possible options were debated and voted upon, but none won a clear majority.

On the EU side, the European Policy Center think tank will hold a Brexit debate with chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier in Brussels on April 2.

The theme of the debate is “Deal or no deal? The state of play on Brexit”.

Japan to release new imperial era name

On April, Japan will reveal the name of the country’s next era, or gengo — two Chinese characters the cabinet chooses from a short list proposed by scholars.

The current Heisei Era began in 1989, when Akihito, current Japan’s Emperor, succeeded his father Emperor Hirohito, who ruled during the Showa period and is now known as the Showa Emperor.

Akihito, soon to be known as the Heisei Emperor, will become the first Japanese monarch in 200 years to step down, relinquishing the Chrysanthemum Throne to his son, Crown Prince Naruhito, who will become the 126th emperor on May 1.

China, US to hold ninth round of trade talks

China and the United States will hold their ninth round of high-level economic and trade consultations in Washington in early April.

Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chief of the Chinese side of the China-US comprehensive economic dialogue, will visit Washington for the new round of talks.

NATO to mark 70th birthday

On April 4, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will turn 70.

NATO foreign ministers will hold their regular April meeting in Washington as they celebrate the 70th anniversary of the US-led military alliance on April 3-4.

NATO consists of 29 member states from North America and Europe. It was established at the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty on April 4, 1949.

Earlier this week, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he hopes Georgia can soon be admitted into NATO during his visit to the Caucasus country.