China president expected to seek new sources of natural gas during Trinidad visit

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad – Chinese President Xi Jinping is shopping in the Caribbean for new sources of energy for his growing country.

President Xi was due to arrive Friday for a state visit to the twin-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago, a leading supplier of natural gas. The Chinese embassy says in a statement that Xi will seek to deepen trade and investment in energy when he meets with Trinidadian Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

He'll also attend a groundbreaking on Saturday for a hospital funded in part by China.

Trinidad has long been a major exporter of natural gas to the United States. But that has dropped as U.S. fuel production surges thanks to new exploration and drilling technology.

Xi is also visiting Costa Rica, Mexico and the U.S. on this trip.