Barack Obama might have left the White House but he’s still involved in the kind of whirlwind world tours undertaken by American presidents.
This week, he’s tracking in the steps of his successor Donald Trump, traveling to China and sitting down with president Xi Jinping tomorrow (Nov. 29). (Trump met with Xi in Beijing earlier this month.) “As President, Obama forged a close and cooperative partnership with President Xi on issues ranging from growing the global economy to combating climate change, and he looks forward to catching up with his former counterpart,” an Obama spokesperson said.
It’s on to New Delhi on Nov. 30, where he will meet with prime minister Narendra Modi. The former president appreciates the “close partnership” they shared, including “their work together to strengthen the U.S.-India relationship and to combat terrorism and climate change,” according to the spokesperson.
These will be just the latest meetings Obama has held with world leaders in recent months. He’s also played golf (link in Spanish) with Argentine president Mauricio Macri, held court with German chancellor Angela Merkel, dined with Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau, and toured Indonesia’s presidential palace with its current occupant Joko Widodo.
In his latest trip, the former president’s agenda will also be packed with private gatherings and public speaking engagements. In China, he’ll be addressing global conferences on education and small and medium-sized enterprises; in India, he’ll appear at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit. (Modi is also a speaker.)