国内英语新闻:Vice FM:Chinese vice president's visit boosts consensus, friendship, co-op

BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping's just-concluded Latin American and European tour has strengthened bilateral ties, broadened consensus and boosted cooperation with these countries, a senior Chinese official said Monday.

    Xi's two-week trip to Mexico, Jamaica, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Malta, as well as Fiji, where he made a transit stop, was pragmatic and fruitful, said Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Li Jinzhang.

    SIGNIFICANT VISIT WITH FAR-REACHING IMPACT

    Xi's visit to Latin America was a major Chinese diplomatic move since President Hu Jintao's trip to the region last year, said Li.

    Last November, Hu traveled to Latin America for a visit that produced a broad consensus on forming a partnership of all-round cooperation with the region on the basis of equality, mutual benefit and common development. Earlier, China issued its first policy paper on Latin America and the Caribbean.

    During his visit to the five Latin American nations, Xi further clarified China's policies on Latin America and stressed that China is ready to join hands with Latin American nations to further enhance cooperation and elevate China-Latin America relations to a new high, Li said.

    In a speech at a seminar attended by Chinese and Venezuelan entrepreneurs, Xi raised a five-point proposal on strengthening the all-round cooperation for common development between China and Latin American nations amid the current global economic landscape.

    Li described Xi's visit to Latin America as a follow-up action to push forward China's relations with the region.

    The Chinese vice president's visit came before the Group of 20 summit scheduled for April in London to address the ongoing global financial crisis, Li noted.

    During the trip, Xi called for a long-term perspective in planning and confidence building and urged a combination of promoting bilateral cooperation and ensuring the steady and sustained growth of China's economy. As a result, the visit has yielded remarkable results and a far-reaching political impact, Linoted.

    Xi's visit highlighted China's efforts to work with these countries to tackle the financial downturn and turn the crisis into an opportunity, Li said.

    Xi's trip brought him to mostly developing countries. During his visit, Xi stressed the need for developing countries to work together in tiding over the financial crisis, he said.

    Xi and leaders of these countries reached broad consensus on joint efforts to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals, tackle the challenges and seek common development, he added.

    During Xi's visit, the governments and enterprises from these countries voiced their willingness to cooperate with China and welcomed China to trade with and invest in their countries and join them in exploitation of energy and natural resources and infrastructure construction.

　　VISIT TO GET ACROSS CHINA'S POLICIES ON KEY ISSUES

    Xi's visit spanned three continents and two oceans. In every stop, Xi explained China's positions on key issues such as the international situation, the financial crisis, the upcoming G20 summit in London, the Doha round of trade talks as well as UN reforms.

    He had in-depth exchanges of views with leaders of the host countries on enhancing cooperation and jointly tiding over the economic difficulties.

    Leaders of the seven countries spoke highly of China's role in stabilizing the global economic and financial situation and promoting world peace and development.

    Mexican and Brazilian leaders expressed readiness to beef up cooperation with China in international organizations and multilateral mechanisms and work together for a more fair and rational new international order, deal with financial crisis and win a greater say for the developing countries.

    Colombian and Jamaican leaders appreciated China's contributions to stabilizing the world economy, saying the steady and relatively fast growth of China's economy will help other countries overcome financial crisis at an early date.

    Xi also reiterated China's stance on the Taiwan and Tibet issues. The host countries all reaffirmed their adherence to the one-China policy.

    The Chinese vice president welcomed the countries to participate in the Shanghai World Expo in 2010 and was given favorable responses by all.

　　FRUITFUL VISIT PACKED WITH SUBSTANTIAL ACTIVITIES

    During his tour, Xi attended nearly 80 meetings, seminars, and other activities and held talks with leaders of the seven countries, exchanging views with them on bilateral ties as well as major international and regional issues of common concern.

    He also witnessed the signing of over 60 cooperation documents in economy, finance, energy and mining, agriculture, infrastructure, high-tech and culture.

    Xi held wide-ranging contacts with leaders of parliaments, political parties, regional leaders, and people from the media and academic communities.

    Xi unveiled the first Confucius Institute in the Caribbean region, and broke ground for the Montego Bay Convention Center, a cooperation project by China and Jamaica.

    Xi's visit uplifted China's relations with the seven countries, expanded their political mutual trust and strategic consensus, and deepened pragmatic cooperation, Li said.

　　BROAD PROSPECTS FOR FURTHER COOPERATION

    Under the new consensus reached during Xi's visit, China and these countries will strengthen cooperation in trade, finance, energy and mining, agriculture, infrastructure construction, high-tech and culture.

    The consensus laid a solid foundation for China and these countries to draw on each other's strength and achieve mutual benefit and win-win progress, Li said.

    China and these countries are geographically far apart and have different social and cultural traditions, but their people have expressed an earnest wish to enhance friendship. Xi's visit served to push bilateral ties further forward, Li added.