Full coverage: Xi Visits Cambodia, Bangladesh, Attends BRICS summit

by Fei Liena

BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's visits to Cambodia and Bangladesh, and attendance at the eighth BRICS summit in India have yielded fruitful results, contributing to further cooperation among developing countries, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday.

PUSHING TRADITIONAL CHINA-CAMBODIA PARTNERSHIP TO NEW LEVEL

The friendship between China and Cambodia has always been solid and full of vigor since the two countries established diplomatic ties 58 years ago, Wang said.

In recent years, the bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership has been developing to a higher level, bringing concrete benefits to both peoples, he said.

During Xi's visit to Cambodia, the first leg of his Southeast and South Asia tour, the two sides have reached broad consensus on strengthening pragmatic cooperation in various fields, and have signed 31 cooperative documents on major projects such as those under the auspices of the Belt and Road Initiative, the dovetailing of development strategies, production capacity investment, and the construction of the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone.

Xi and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen have agreed to deepen the bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership so as to better serve the two peoples, Wang said.

ENHANCING MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL COOPERATION WITH BANGLADESH

Xi's state visit to Bangladesh is the first by a Chinese head of state in three decades, Wang said. During Xi's visit, the two sides issued a joint declaration, upgrading China-Bangladesh relationship to a strategic cooperative partnership.

Xi and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina agreed that their countries will support each other and cooperate closely during their respective processes of realizing the dreams of "two centenary goals" and "Sonar Bangla," Wang said.

The two countries have decided to cooperate in major projects in production capacity, energy and electricity, transportation, telecommunications, infrastructure and agriculture, and agreed to start the feasibility studies on the establishment of a China-Bangladesh free trade area, and establish a series of mechanisms such as bilateral dialogue and cooperation on maritime affairs, according to Wang.

The two sides have also signed more than 30 important cooperative treaties, Wang added.

During the visit, both leaders have reached important consensus on implementing mutually beneficial cooperation, and jointly pushing forward the Belt and Road Initiative.

They agreed to broaden cooperation in marine economy, seaport construction, and connectivity, a well as speeding up the construction of the BCIM (Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar) Economic Corridor.

REVITALIZING BRICS COOPERATION

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) cooperation mechanism.

After 10 years of fast development, the bloc has expanded cooperation and played an active role in promoting global economic growth and improving global governance, Wang said.

Xi attended the annual BRICS summit in the western Indian state of Goa on Sunday, and made a five-point proposal for the BRICS nations to join hands in tough times -- building an open world, mapping out a shared development vision, coping with the most pressing global challenges, safeguarding fairness and justice in the international community, and deepening partnerships within the bloc.

Xi boosted confidence of BRICS cooperation, and stressed the importance of cultural cooperation among BRICS countries to increase impetus to the mechanism.

Xi also attended a dialogue between BRICS and BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) leaders, and called for the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative and the BIMSTEC programs, so as to advance infrastructure construction and connectivity, and strive for common development.

Xi's visit successfully implemented China's neighborhood diplomacy featuring amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness by consolidating good neighborliness, pushing the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with the development strategies of respective countries, strengthening unity and cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries, the Chinese foreign minister concluded.