Xi makes fruitful visits to US, UN

President reaches a series of agreements and unveils historic measures to back world peace

During President Xi Jinping's state visit to the United States from Sept 22 to 25, Beijing and Washington marked major milestones on a wide range of major bilateral and global issues, projecting shared confidence in stronger teamwork.

On the evening of Sept 24 at Blair House, the state guest house in Washington, Xi spoke of China's commitment to building greater trust with the US and foreign investors when he met President Barack Obama before their formal summit on Sept 25.

Amid the tranquil and ornate surroundings, the leaders met for three hours and exchanged views on major issues such as governance and the China-US relationship.

On the divergences between the two countries, Xi said: "The common interests of the two countries way outnumber the differences, and bilateral cooperation has always been the mainstream."

Both sides have agreed not to conduct or support cybertheft, Xi and Obama announced in a joint news conference on Sept 25 following their summit at the White House.

Also, in a joint statement that built on last November's historic announcement by the two leaders on post-2020 climate targets, the countries set out a common vision for a new United Nations global climate agreement to be concluded in Paris in December.

It includes commitments to global climate finance and demonstrates the determination of both countries to act decisively to achieve the goals set last year, according to the White House.

Both sides have pledged to resolve disputes between them, which observers said sends a clear signal to the world that the two largest economies are making promises to avoid miscalculation or conflict in the Asia-Pacific region.

During a welcoming ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on Sept 25, Obama and his wife, Michelle, welcomed Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan. The ceremony, which was attended by hundreds of officials, representatives and friends, featured a 21-gun salute.

Addressing the ceremony, Xi said the two countries should enhance strategic mutual trust, deepen understanding and respect each other's core interests and concerns.

On the world stage, China and the US should strengthen coordination on major issues and "jointly face global challenges", he said.

Xi also recalled his reunion with old friends from Iowa three years ago and said he is confident about the future of Sino-US ties.

Obama said during the ceremony: "The US welcomes the rise of China that is stable, prosperous and peaceful, because that benefits us all. In fact, I believe that our two great nations, if we work together, have an unmatched ability to shape the course of the century ahead."

Yuan Peng, vice-president of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, noted that both countries are undergoing a shift in which the US is placing more focus on Asia while China is making progress.

The new situation requires in-depth discussions by the top leaders, Yuan said.

Xi announced several proposals on helping the least-developed countries, including exempting debt, when attending a series of summits at the UN headquarters in New York from Sept 26 to 28.

At the UN Sustainable Development Summit on Sept 26, Xi said China would provide $2 billion to support South-South cooperation.

This refers to the mutual sharing of development solutions among developing nations, primarily in the Southern Hemisphere.

China would exempt the debt on outstanding intergovernmental interest-free loans owed by the least-developed countries and due by the end of the year, Xi said.

Speaking at a meeting on Sept 27, he said China would invite 30,000 women from developing countries to take part in training programs in China and would help such countries train 100,000 female technical personnel. China would also donate $10 million to the group UN Women.

During his speech addressing the general debate of the 70th session of the UN General Assembly on Sept 28, Xi announced that China will establish a $1 billion China-UN Peace and Development Fund to support the UN's multilateral cooperation and boost world peace.

He said China would take the initiative in forming a police peacekeeping team and building a peacekeeping force of 8,000 as the country prepares to join the new UN peacekeeping standby mechanism.

In the next five years, China will provide $100 million in aid to the African Union to support the building of an African standby force and an emergency response and quick-response force, Xi said.

China "firmly supports" expanding the say of developing countries, especially African nations, in the international governing system, Xi said. "China's vote in the UN always belongs to the developing countries."

Chen Jian, a former UN undersecretary-general and a veteran Chinese diplomat, said Xi had dispelled doubts by some UN member states over China's rapid rise.

Xi's promises are "very powerful and impressive", and China's follow-up efforts will be tested over time, Chen said, adding that in the past two years, China has been increasingly proactive in offering diplomatic initiatives.

"Although China is still a developing country, most UN members believe it should contribute more to the UN, as it has become the second-largest economy in the world."

Su Ge, president of the China Institute of International Studies, said that as a beneficiary of the existing international system, it is China's duty to make more contributions to the international community.

The UN General Assembly, comprising all 193 member nations, meets in regular session from September to December each year.

On the UN sidelines, Xi met leaders from Africa.

During his meeting with Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma on Sept 28, Xi said China will enhance medical and healthcare collaboration with Sierra Leone by supporting the country in establishing and improving its public health prevention and control system, setting up a research and treatment center on West Africa tropical pathogens as soon as possible, sending more medical workers to the country and helping it strengthen capacity building.

Meeting his Nigerian counterpart Muhammadu Buhari on Sept 26, Xi called for boosting bilateral collaboration and upgrading the two countries' strategic partnership as next year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Xinhua and Yang Yixi in Beijing contributed to this story.

Contact the writers through zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily European Weekly 10/01/2015 page3)