Spotlight: Xi's Eurasia tour injects vitality into Belt initiative, regional cooperation

Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent trip to Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus has accelerated the integration of China's Belt and Road initiatives with those countries' development strategies, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said.

It has also further promoted mutual political trust and practical cooperation between China and the three countries, Wang told reporters upon the conclusion of the tour.

JOINTLY BUILDING SILK ROAD ECONOMIC BELT

The Belt and Road initiatives, which refer to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road international trade and infrastructure projects, were high on Xi's agenda during his trip.

The Belt was first proposed by the Chinese president during a previous visit to Kazakhstan in 2013, Wang said, adding that during a later visit to Indonesia, Xi put forward the Road vision.

He noted that over the past year, China has proved to the whole world that the Belt and Road initiatives are not only a grand, forward-looking blueprint, but also a down-to-earth practice.

The just-concluded tour by the Chinese president, Wang added, has charted the course for integrating the development strategies of countries along the Belt and Road on the basis of mutual consultation, joint construction and sharing, and effectively pushed forward the implementation of their mutually beneficial cooperation projects.

In Moscow, Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a joint statement on integrating the Belt initiative with Russia's aspiration under the Eurasian Economic Union framework.

They pledged to maintain a continuous and stable economic growth in the region, strengthen regional economic integration, and safeguard peace and stability on the Eurasian landmass.

The joint statement, another major development of the Belt and Road initiatives in Eurasia, is of important and far-reaching significance, Wang said.

In Kazakhstan, Xi and his Kazakh counterpart, Nursultan Nazarbayev, agreed to align the two countries' development strategies in pursuit of common prosperity.

"We are ready to align the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative to Kazakhstan's new economic policy of the Bright Road, so as to achieve common development and prosperity on the basis of equality and reciprocity," Xi said.

In Belarus, President Alexander Lukashenko spoke highly of the important role of the Belt vision, saying his country is ready to actively participate in the process.

The two countries have agreed to build an industrial park as a model project in the construction of the Belt initiative, which connects Asia with Europe.

During Xi's Eurasia tour, China and the three countries signed a series of cooperation documents and accords on nearly 90 items in such fields as trade and economy, energy, aerospace, finance, investment and infrastructure.

The fruitful results have embodied China's sincerity and determination to jointly build the Silk Road Economic Belt with the three countries, and will keep injecting fresh vitality of development into the continent and boost regional cooperation, Wang said.

CONSOLIDATING FOUNDATION FOR FRIENDSHIP AMONG PEOPLES

Wang said that during the visits, Xi also held in-depth exchanges of views with leaders of the three countries on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of common concern.

China and Russia agreed to keep their comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination running at a high level.

In addition, China reached important consensus with Belarus on jointly inaugurating a new era for the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

China and Kazakhstan also agreed to push forward the development of their comprehensive strategic partnership for substantial results.

Meanwhile, Xi paid attention to promoting the friendship between the peoples of China and the three countries.

During his visits to Russia and Belarus, he met with representatives of World War II veterans who participated in the fight against the invasion of Fascist forces, especially Japanese invaders, and awarded them commemorative medals.

The Chinese president also held a meeting with representatives of Russian experts who took part in the Soviet Union's assistance to China.

People-to-people and cultural exchanges are an important element of China's relations with the three countries, and play a vital role in promoting friendship and consolidating public support, Wang said.

He said Xi and the heads of state of the three countries had decided to further boost cultural, academic and youth exchanges, as well as media cooperation.

According to the foreign minister, China and Russia agreed to hold a media exchange year program in 2016-2017.

Moreover, 100 Belarusian college students will be invited to China to conduct exchanges with their Chinese counterparts, Wang said. Endi