President Xi meets with foreign dignitaries

Editor's note: President Xi Jinping held a number of talks with foreign guests on Wednesday ahead of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. The following are the highlights of their meetings.

Mozambique

When meeting with Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, Xi said the African country is an important stop along the ancient maritime Silk Road and has been actively participating in joint construction of the Belt and Road in recent years.

He welcomed Nyusi's attendance at the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, noting leaders of various countries will discuss issues including synergy of development policies, infrastructure interconnectivity and sustainable development at the three-day event.

Xi said the two countries have agreed to advance and upgrade their mutually beneficial cooperation as well as enhance cultural exchanges in an effort to carry forward the traditional bilateral friendship.

Nyusi thanked China for promptly providing aid to Mozambique to cope with the recent cyclone disaster.

He said joint construction of the Belt and Road benefits global economic growth and balanced development, which is important for Mozambique and Africa.

Mozambique would like to deepen its strategic partnership with China, strengthen bilateral cooperation in broad areas and exchange experiences in governance, he said.

Mozambique is willing to play an active role in building the Belt and Road in African subregions, he added.

Ethiopia

While meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Xi said China will deepen its comprehensive strategic partnership with the African country via promoting Belt and Road construction and implementing outcomes of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

Calling Ethiopia a significant partner in Africa, Xi said China supports Ethiopia in its efforts to safeguard stability, develop its economy and improve people's livelihoods.

China is willing to maintain the good momentum of high-level exchanges with Ethiopia, and the two countries will continue to understand and support each other on issues concerning their respective core interests and major concerns, he said.

While pushing for two-way cooperation, China will help Ethiopia raise its level of industrialization and improve its export capacity, Xi said, adding that the two sides should strengthen communication and coordination on climate change and other regional and international issues.

Calling China its most reliable friend and most cherished partner, Abiy said his country is willing to move its friendly ties with China forward and actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative.

China always respects African countries and never imposes itself on others, he added.

Premier Li Keqiang also met with the Ethiopian prime minister on Wednesday.

IMF

In meeting with International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde, Xi said China welcomes international organizations, including the IMF, to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative in a more proactive manner to provide better public benefit for countries involved in the initiative.

He commended the good relationship between China and the IMF, and expressed hope that the two sides continue to deepen their cooperation.

Noting that an increasing number of countries have become involved with Belt and Road construction, Xi said that this demonstrates the project meets the development needs of various countries and is widely recognized.

Xi stressed that China supports a robust IMF with adequate resources and hopes the quota and governance reform of the multilateral financial institution conforms to the trends of the times and reflects the representation and voices of emerging countries.

Lagarde said the BRI demonstrates the leadership of China in international affairs and she highly commended the leading role China plays in upholding multilateralism.

Lagarde said China's economic policy is prudent and efficient and that global economic growth will not be feasible without sustained development of China.

Premier Li Keqiang also met with Lagarde on Wednesday.

Japan

While meeting with Toshihiro Nikai, secretary-general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Xi said China welcomes Japan to continue to participate extensively in its reform and opening-up, and hopes to see its Asian neighbor play a more active role in the joint construction of the Belt and Road.

Xi noted that bilateral ties have returned to the right track and are seeing positive development momentum.

He said it is important for the two countries to stick to principles of the four political documents and called for both nations to remain committed to the general direction of peace and friendship and continuously deepen win-win cooperation.

Xi added that China and Japan must carry out the political consensus of being cooperative partners instead of threatening each other and that they must support each other's peaceful development.

As this year is China-Japan Youth Exchange Promotion Year, Xi urged enhanced friendship between young people of the two countries.

Xi also voiced China's support for Japan's hosting of the G20 Summit in Osaka this year.

Nikai hailed the Belt and Road Initiative as a great vision with great potential, adding that Japan speaks positively of the important contributions from the initiative to the region and the world.

Nikai is the special envoy for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Azerbaijan

President Xi hailed Azer-baijan as an important cooperative partner for China in Eurasia during a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev.

Xi noted that Azerbaijan was among the first countries to have responded to and participated in the joint building of the Belt and Road and that cooperation between the two countries has already seen a series of outcomes, which brought about concrete benefits to both peoples.

China supports the people of Azerbaijan to select a development path that suits their own conditions as well as their efforts to develop the economy and improve livelihoods, he said.

China also stands ready to work with Azerbaijan to use the joint building of the Belt and Road as an opportunity to align development plans, deepen cooperation in areas including infrastructure and expand exchanges in culture, education and at the local level, he said.

Aliyev said Azerbaijan sees China as a steadfast friend and partner, and it will offer unreserved support to China on issues related to its core interests and major concerns.

He noted that economic and trade cooperation between the two nations has seen rapid growth and that there is still huge potential for bilateral cooperation in areas including investment, oil and gas exploitation, agriculture, information, telecommunications and tourism.

Myanmar

While meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's state counsellor, Xi said China stands ready to work with Myanmar to jointly safeguard border security and stability and ensure the safety of people living near border areas.

Xi said friendship between the two peoples runs deep, and the two countries represent a community with a shared future. The two nations should work together to channel more benefits of pragmatic cooperation, he said.

Xi voiced China's support for Myanmar in its efforts to develop its economy and improve the public's livelihood, adding that China highly appreciates Myanmar's establishment of a special leadership committee on the joint building of the Belt and Road that is headed by Aung San Suu Kyi.

China is willing to work with Myanmar to step up win-win cooperation within the Belt and Road framework, accelerate the building of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor and bring about more tangible benefits for both peoples, he said.

Aung San Suu Kyi said Myanmar appreciates China's support in its efforts to achieve peace, stability and development, adding that the country believes the BRI will benefit the region and the world.

Myanmar is willing to work together with China to jointly uphold the security and stability of border areas, she said.