Chinese President Xi Jinping meets El Salvador President Salvador Sanchez Ceren at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday. Photo: Xinhua

El Salvador President Salvador Sanchez Ceren has kicked off his seven-day visit to China a few months after the two countries established official diplomatic ties.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday held a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China Central Television (CCTV) reported.

Sanchez will attend the first China International Import Expo (CIIE), which will open in Shanghai on Monday, according to CCTV.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, are also scheduled to meet with Sanchez, Lu Kang, spokesperson of Chinese foreign ministry, told a press briefing on Wednesday.

China welcomes President Sanchez's visit and hopes to work with El Salvador to ensure a swift growth in friendly exchanges and cooperation to deliver more benefits to the two peoples, Lu said.

El Salvador established diplomatic relations with China on August 21. It used to be a "diplomatic ally" of Taiwan island.

"Normalized diplomatic ties and communications between China and other countries can only be possible based on the acknowledgment of the one-China principle," said Yang Lixian, a specially appointed research fellow at the Beijing-based Research Center on Cross-Straits Relations.

Yang pointed out that Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen's attitude against the 1992 Consensus that embodies the one-China principle and her policy to distance the island from the Chinese mainland made Taiwan suffer economically, which disappointed both Taiwan residents and its "diplomatic allies." 
"On the contrary, Beijing is creating more opportunities for the world, such as the Expo, which will benefit all participating countries," Yang said.

"These countries are breaking off from Taiwan and seeking ties with the mainland for greater development and to better blend into globalization," Yang explained.

Taiwan has "diplomatic relations" with 17 countries, including the Vatican, Paraguay and Haiti. 

"Most of the remaining countries have deep Catholic backgrounds, thus the Vatican is crucial," Yang stressed.

China and the Vatican signed a provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops in September, and the two sides will continue to  push forward the process of improving bilateral ties, Xinhua reported.