Every world leader who has visited China in 2026 in one chart

China has hosted 26 leaders from 23 countries this year, underscoring its growing diplomatic and economic influence.

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is the latest senior official in a steady stream of world leaders visiting China this year.

During her three-day trip this week, Cooper is expected to meet her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing before travelling to the southern tech hub of Shenzhen for a programme focused on science and technology.

According to an Al Jazeera tally, Cooper is the 26th foreign leader or senior official to visit China this year. The list includes presidents, prime ministers, chancellors, crown princes and foreign ministers from 23 countries.

In all, leaders from Ireland, South Korea, Canada, Finland, the United Kingdom, Uruguay, Germany, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Vietnam, Mozambique, Iran, Tajikistan, the United States, Seychelles, Moldova, Singapore, Serbia, Brazil, and Laos have travelled to China this year.

Leaders have come to court China from all the significant regions, including Europe (10), Asia (8), the Middle East (2), Africa (2), North America (2) and Latin America (2).

Among the most prominent have been Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, in that order of visits.

The stream of visitors is particularly notable because Chinese President Xi Jinping has spent the year hosting foreign dignitaries at home rather than travelling abroad himself.

Many leaders have come seeking new investment opportunities, greater access to the Chinese market or cooperation in areas such as manufacturing, technology, energy and infrastructure.

Several of the visits have been by leaders and officials from countries that Beijing considers strategically important partners, including Russia and Pakistan, both of which sent multiple senior officials this year.

For many countries, China is simultaneously an important export market, a source of investment, a diplomatic partner and an increasingly influential geopolitical power.

Europe has been especially well-represented, accounting for roughly one-third of the countries on the list.

Visits by leaders from the UK, Germany, Spain, Ireland and Finland suggest that European governments are eager to engage closely with Beijing despite disagreements over trade, security and China’s relationship with Russia.

China’s total foreign trade in go