Diplomatic moves show China will not be cowed

With President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang both on visits to the Asia-Pacific region to attend international meetings this week, China is sending a strong message to the outside world that it is attaching more attention and importance to countries in its neighborhood and looking to strike an even more resonant note in implementing its neighborhood diplomacy.

From Nov 15 to 21, Xi is visiting Papua New Guinea, Brunei, and the Philippines and attending the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Papua New Guinea. And Li began an official trip to Singapore on Monday to engage in bilateral talks and to attend a series of meetings on East Asia cooperation with the leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the bloc's regional partners including Japan and the Republic of Korea.

During their trips the two leaders will be reinforcing the message that China is opening its doors wider for business and it is committed to common development and shared benefits.