Xi meets foreign leaders attending CIIE

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 5, 2018. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday met with Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite, who attended the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai.

Xi said China attaches great importance to bilateral ties with Lithuania, an important Baltic Sea nation and also China's important partner in central and eastern Europe. The two countries should uphold and deepen mutual trust and respect and take care of each other's core interests and major concerns.

China is willing to synergize development strategy with Lithuania, advance cooperation in the Belt and Road Initiative, expand two-way investment and enhance cooperation in e-commerce, financial technology, new energy, lasers and agriculture. China hopes Lithuania uses the CIIE to introduce its products, Xi said.

The two countries should expand people-to-people exchange, advance private exchange, enhance cooperation at the local level, safeguard multilateralism and build an open world economy and a community with a shared future for humanity, he said.

Grybauskaite said Lithuania admires China's leapfrog development and speaks highly of the CIIE, which is a strategic move under the current circumstances. Lithuania believes China's door will not close, creating a great opportunity for all nations.

China plays a more and more important role in global affairs, she noted, adding that Lithuania hopes to enhance comprehensive cooperation with China and promote multilateralism and free trade.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Czech President Milos Zeman in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 5, 2018. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday met with Czech President Milos Zeman, who attended the first China International Import Expo in Shanghai.

Xi pointed out that China and the Czech Republic have enjoyed long-time friendship and their bilateral relationship has been buttressed by deep public support and wide-ranging mutual interest.

Xi said following his 2016 state visit to the central European country and the signing of the strategic partnership between the two countries, their bilateral relationship opened a new chapter.

Propelled by the Belt and Road Initiative and the cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC), the China-Czech relationship has shown momentum of across-the-board development and bright prospects, Xi added.

Xi emphasized that the two countries should deepen mutual trust so as to cement and safeguard the political basis of their relationship.

The Chinese president also called on the two countries to create more bright spots and mega projects in their cooperation on the Belt and Road construction, widen cooperation in areas such as transportation, energy, e-commerce and artificial intelligence (AI), and carry out more people-to-people exchange.

Xi said China looks forward to Czech Republic's continuing contribution to the development of China-Europe relationship and is willing to enhance cooperation with the Czech Republic under the framework of China-CEEC cooperation and jointly safeguard and build an open world economy.

Zeman said the Czech Republic welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest and start new businesses and is willing to further enhance dialogue and coordination between the two governments and actively take part in the Belt and Road construction.

Zeman also expressed his firm opposition to unilateralism and protectionism.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 5, 2018. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who attended the first China International Import Expo in Shanghai.

China and Hungary should deepen mutual political support and trust, continue to understand and support each other on issues involving their respective core interests and major concerns, and increase coordination and cooperation on international affairs, Xi said.

Xi called on the two sides to promote the policy alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with Hungary's Eastern Opening policy, make sound top-level planning for cooperation in various areas, and push forward the construction of a new railway line between Hungary and Serbia, an important cooperation project.

The two countries should also increase cooperation in business, investment, finance, agriculture, tourism and innovation, among others, Xi added.

Noting that the year of 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, the Hungarian prime minister said it would be an important opportunity to promote the development of the Hungary-China relations under new circumstances.

The Hungarian side is ready to work with the Chinese side to increase high-level exchanges, actively participate in the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and expand practical cooperation in various fields, said Orban.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 5, 2018.(Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday met with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who attended the first China International Import Expo in Shanghai.

Both China and Russia are in a crucial stage in achieving national development and revitalization, Xi said.

Facing an unprecedentedly complex international environment, it is more important to keep bilateral ties at a high level and reinforce strategic coordination between the two countries, Xi said.

He said a priority for the two sides' work in the next phase is to comprehensively implement the consensus between him and Russian President Vladimir Putin on practical cooperation between the two sides.

Xi welcomed Russia to attend the expo as one of the guests of honor.

China and Russia are firm in pursuing peaceful development and are committed to upholding international fairness and justice, reflecting their resolve and responsible attitude as major countries, Xi said, noting that under new circumstances, China is willing to maintain close high-level exchanges with the Russian side and continuously deepen strategic coordination.

Medvedev said Russia is willing to work together with China to implement the important consensus reached by heads of state of the two countries, expand practical cooperation in various areas, carry out closer coordination and cooperation in international affairs, safeguard international rules, and maintain world peace and stability.