China set to strengthen global role

Experts predict that this will be the year the nation gains greater influence in world affairs. An Baijie reports.

Sweet potato is not only President Xi Jinping's favorite food, but he also sees it as a symbol of China's determination to make a contribution to global economic growth.

"The vines of the sweet potato may stretch in all directions, but they all grow out of its roots. Similarly, no matter what level of development it may reach, China, with its roots in the Asia-Pacific, will continue to contribute to the region's development and prosperity," Xi said in a speech in Lima, the capital of Peru, in November.