Visits paid by state leaders are important diplomatic event for any country. Preparations for a visit usually begin six months or even a year in advance. Former Chinese diplomats explain the logistics detail of such event.

1. How to choose which countries to visit?

With a busy schedule, state leaders can only visit a limited number of countries in any year. So how are these countries chosen?

According to Lu Peixin, former acting director of the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the beginning of each year, a meeting is held to make a visit plan for state leaders. Where to go and where not to go are decided according to international conditions and the country's diplomatic policies.

"Generally speaking, countries that Chinese leaders haven't visited for a long time will have priority. And next, based on bilateral relations and diplomatic needs, countries that have extended an invitation will be grouped in batches," says Li Changhua, former Chinese ambassador to several Latin American countries. To invite a state leader for a visit, firstly an oral invitation is issued, and then both sides should discuss the matter. If the visit is agreed by both sides, the host country will issue a formal invitation.

On March 2, 2015, the visiting Prince William submitted an invitation letter from Queen Elizabeth II to President Xi Jinping. A written formal invitation meant that both sides had discussed the matter previously and the visit was basically confirmed.

2. What rules to abide by when inviting?

Both the invitation and the reception should follow the reciprocity principle. Head of state will invite head of state, and chief of government will invite chief of government. 　

Premier Li Keqiang's current Latin America trip is at the invitation of presidents of four LatAm countries. And President Xi Jinping's two trips to Latin America were also at the invitation of presidents of the host countries.

The reciprocity principle is not only reflected in the invitation but also in the reception fees. Li Changhua said: "Many people will accompany the state leader for the trip. According to the principle of reciprocity, the inviting country only bears the expense of the leader and his or her entourage. The expenses of other people in the visiting delegation, such as entrepreneurs and journalists, will be covered by themselves." 　

3. How do both sides coordinate the timing?

China will propose a visiting time at first instance. If the leader of the host country has other guests to receive, then both sides will continue to work on coordinating the time.

The visiting plan prepared at the beginning of the year will be subject to long-term coordination. This plan is only a draft. "The timing will change with the actual situation," says Li Changhua. President Xi's Pakistan trip last month was postponed once due to the unstable political situation in the country. 　　 

4. Why visit several countries in one trip?

State leaders will usually visit several countries in one trip. President Xi has visited Latin America twice: the first time he visited three countries and the second time he visited four. Premier Li's LatAm trip also involves four host countries.

According to Li Changhua, in order to get the most from the visit, leaders will visit several countries in one trip, especially when visiting distant countries. Due to the tight schedule of state leaders, they cannot stay abroad too long. So a trip usually involves three or four host countries, and the leaders may stop by another country on the way. For example, last July, on his way to Latin America, President Xi visited Greece.