Xi calls for building Asian century of prosperity, renewal

Thursday, 18 September 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Xinhua: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday urged China and India to join hands to build an Asian century of prosperity and renewal. “I am confident that as long as China and India work together, the Asian century of prosperity and renewal will surely arrive at an early date,” Xi said in a signed article published Wednesday ahead of his state visit to India.

Noting that the relations between China and India have made significant progress in the new century, Xi said the strategic and cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity has been established between the two countries. China has become India’s largest trading partner, with their bilateral trade volume increasing from less than $ 3 billion early this century to nearly $ 70 billion, he said, adding that mutual visits reached 820,000 last year. “We have had close coordination and cooperation on climate change, food security, energy security and other global issues and upheld the common interests of our two countries as well as the developing world as a whole,” Xi said, hailing that China-India relations have become one of the most dynamic and promising bilateral relations in the 21st century. Xi pointed out that both China and India are now in a crucial stage of reform and development. The Chinese people are committed to realising the Chinese dream of great national renewal, while the Indian people are endeavoring to achieve their development targets for the new era, he said. “China and India are both faced with historic opportunities, and our respective dreams of national renewal are very much aligned with each other. We need to connect our development strategies more closely and jointly pursue our common dream of national strength and prosperity,” said the Chinese president, making a three-point proposal to further boost bilateral relations. Firstly, China and India need to become closer development partners who draw upon each other’s strengths and work together for common development, Xi said. The combination of the “world’s factory” and the “world’s back-office” will produce the most competitive production base and the most attractive consumer market, he added. Secondly, Xi said China and India need to become cooperation partners spearheading growth as two engines of the Asian economy. “I believe that the combination of China’s energy plus India’s wisdom will release massive potential,” said the Chinese president, calling on both sides to jointly develop the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor, discuss the initiatives of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, and lead the sustainable growth of the Asian economy. Thirdly, China and India need to become global partners with strategic coordination, as two important forces in a world that moves towards multi-polarity, Xi said. Noting that both China and India cherish peace, equity and justice, the president stressed that the two countries should carry forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, make the international order more fair and reasonable, and improve the mechanism and rules of international governance, so as to make them better respond to the trend of the times and meet the common needs of the international community. Quoting the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping’s saying that no genuine Asian century would come without the development of China, India and other developing countries, Xi said China and India are ready to shoulder this mission and work actively to enhance friendship between the two countries. “I look forward to an in-depth exchange of views with Indian leaders on our bilateral relations during the visit, and to injecting new vitality into our strategic and cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity,” he said. Xi is due to arrive in India late Wednesday for a state visit, the final leg of his ongoing four-country Asia trip, which has already taken him to Tajikistan, the Maldives and Sri Lanka.