The entire Santa Catalina Hotel in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is booked, the full apple closed to traffic and parking, the containers were removed and enveloped in a security ring of 14 vehicles, minibuses, ambulances and police cars. This is how Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the city, on an express stopover on his return from Peru.
About 80 people from the Chinese community, all accredited and some dressed in traditional clothing, held up a banner as they arrived at the hotel, while chanting in unison and waving their hands. Spanish and Chinese flags. “Warmly welcome to President Xi Jinping’s visit to Spain,” the sign read.
The head of state arrived in full long caravan of 14 vehicles dark cars, minibuses, two ambulances and police and Civil Guard cars, which entered the hotel. In recent minutes, Jinping’s security has become the top priority, paralyzing the city to secure entry.
Already this morning, pairs of the National Police had already deployed the operation, surrounding security throughout the neighborhood. Parking has been banned in the surrounding streets, at the entrance to the hotel and its gardens, containers have been removed from the area and a security guard has been deployed. special reinforcement with the personal security of the President at the entrances and exits of the premises.
Xi Jinping’s team has been in the city for three weeks preparing for his stay at the Santa Catalina Hotel and brought with them bedding, towels, drinking water, foodas well as its own staff, who will be in charge of the kitchen and service. Additionally, they were installed security cameras additional refrigerators, and armored glass to ensure your stay.
Xi Jinping landed on the island with his presidential plane, the second Air China plane to arrive, around 2:23 p.m. local time, received by several local authorities. He moved within a ring of security which included the traffic cut from the GC-1 highway from the airport towards Las Palmas.
This is Jinping’s third visit to the Canary Islands and his second visit to Gran Canaria, where he also stopped in 2016 after traveling to several Latin American countries. He also visited the historic center of the city and the Columbus House as expected and as did his predecessors in power, Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin. On this occasion, he chose the capital for his accommodation, since during his previous visit he had stayed in the south of the island, accompanied by a delegation of around 150 people.
