By Aidoghie Paulinus
President Xi Jinping engaged himself in a flurry of face-to-face high-level meetings with foreign dignitaries visiting Beijing for the opening of the Beijing Olympic Winter Games despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the weekend, Xi held bilateral meetings with about 20 heads of state, as well as government and international organization leaders, and held a welcoming banquet for the foreign guests.
Behind his tight diplomatic schedule, Xi drew attention to issues of global concern and highlighted the need for togetherness at a trying time for humanity, shedding light on the path toward a post-pandemic world and a better and shared future.
During his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pakistani Prime Minister, Imran Khan, and leaders of Central Asian countries who met Xi during a virtual summit days before the games, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Xi discussed issues centred around unity, solidarity and togetherness.
“We shall promote the spirit of the Olympic Movement and meet the common challenges facing the international community through solidarity,” Xi said.
Xi also said the only way for all countries to address the various challenges effectively is to strengthen solidarity and cooperation and work together for a shared future.
The leaders expressed the hope that the international community can take the Beijing Winter Olympics as an opportunity to rise above differences and work together for a shared and better future.
Guterres said the world now needs a successful Winter Olympics to send a clear message that people of any country, ethnicity and religion can rise above differences to achieve solidarity and cooperation.
In the meeting with Xi, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said COVID-19 vaccines provided by China not only saved the Pakistani people, but also saved the country’s economy.
Facilitating concrete development was another hot topic of Xi’s meetings. Besides key bilateral projects ranging from energy to digital economy, the Belt and Road cooperation was much discussed.
Major infrastructure projects such as the Hungary-Serbia railway and the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway got a push. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov stated that the country is willing to work closely with China to make the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway a flagship project in the Belt and Road cooperation. Argentina also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China on the Belt and Road cooperation.
Many leaders also voiced support to the Global Development Initiative (GDI) Xi proposed last year, which is considered helpful to boost economic recovery and facilitate sustainable development.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Kazakhstan will continue to actively support and participate in cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative while supporting the GDI put forward by Xi.
The China-Russia joint statement reads that the Russian side confirms its readiness to continue working on the China-proposed GDI, including participation in the activities of the Group of Friends of the GDI under the UN auspices.
When meeting with Guterres, Xi said that the GDI he proposed is highly compatible with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and is meant to promote a more robust, greener and healthier global development. China stands ready to closely cooperate with the UN to jointly advance the work.
Guterres hailed the GDI as one of great importance in advancing the realization of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and addressing the inequality and imbalance in global development. In the area of mutual respect, Xi had during his meeting with Guterres pointed out that no system should be regarded as the only model to follow, nor is there a single development model that fits all.
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Global Development Initiative Proposed by President Xi
On September 21, 2021, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed a Global Development Initiative in steering global development toward a new stage of balanced, coordinated and inclusive growth in face of the severe shocks of COVID-19.
Xi, in his statement delivered via video at the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, said: “We must revitalize the economy and pursue more robust, greener and more balanced global development.”
To promote global development, Xi called for staying committed to development as a priority.
He proposed that the world should put development high on the global macro policy agenda, strengthen policy coordination among major economies, and ensure policy continuity, consistency and sustainability.
According to Xi, “We need to foster global development partnerships that are more equal and balanced, forge greater synergy among multilateral development cooperation processes, and speed up the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
Xi stressed staying committed to a people-centered approach. “We should safeguard and improve people’s livelihoods, and protect and promote human rights through development,” he said.
Xi called for staying committed to benefits for all, and caring about the special needs of developing countries.
He also highlighted the importance of innovation-driven development and harmony between man and nature.