Hernan Lombardi, technical coordinator of the Group of 20 (G20) Summit, answers questions during an interview with Xinhua in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Nov. 23, 2018. As the host of the upcoming G20 Summit, Argentina aims to consolidate the gathering's role as an effective multilateral mechanism and redefine the summit with an eye to the future, Lombardi said. (Xinhua/Martin Zabala)

BUENOS AIRES, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- As the host of the upcoming Group of 20 (G20) Summit, Argentina aims to consolidate the gathering's role as an effective multilateral mechanism and redefine the summit with an eye to the future, a senior official of the country has said.

Against the backdrop of rising unilateralism and protectionism that threatens growth, Argentina, with a strategic global view, focused on the summit's long-term development and how it needs to be used as an effective multilateral mechanism, said Hernan Lombardi, head of Argentina's Federal System of Media and Public Content, in a recent interview with Xinhua. He also serves as a technical coordinator of the G20 Summit.

The 13th G20 summit, under the theme of Building Consensus for Fair and Sustainable Development, will be held for the first time in a South American country from Friday to Saturday.

With the attendance of leaders from world's major economies, the summit will put emphasis on global growth, sustainable development, trade and investment as well as climate change.

Chinese President Xi Jinping left Beijing on Tuesday morning for an European and Latin American trip, which will take him to the Argentine capital for the summit. During the event, Xi will reaffirm China's commitment to opening-up, cooperation and common development with all partners.

The event will also serve as an opportunity to champion free trade under the current circumstance, Lombardi said, adding that "Argentina is permanently focusing on working towards freer trade and avoiding restrictions."

"We believe that better trade, more trade, are of greater benefit to all countries," he added.

In a letter to Xi in May, Argentine President Mauricio Macri said while holding the G20 presidency, his country will continue the consensus and results achieved at the 2016 G20 Summit held in the Chinese city of Hangzhou.

Hosting the summit offers a chance for Argentina's greater integration with the international community, Lombardi said. He hoped the summit will yield "very good results for all inhabitants of the planet."

For the Argentina-China relations, Lombardi said the comprehensive strategic partnership benefits both countries and both peoples.

He drew more parallels between the two countries, saying the South American nation was following "a path similar to China's" because Argentina will host the World Expo in 2023 in Buenos Aires, as China did in Shanghai in 2010; it is about to host the G20 summit, as China did two years ago in Beijing; and it recently hosted the Youth Olympic Games, as did Nanjing not long ago.

The coordinator thanked China for its support of the youth games in Argentina, the upcoming G20 summit and "for getting Buenos Aires nominated to host the 2023 World Expo."