Xi's 4-nation tour to open new chapter for diplomacy(2)

HIGHER-LEVEL, BROADER COOPERATION TO SEND MESSAGE TO WORLD

Xi's visit will look for higher-level cooperation, with major projects in the field of economic and trade cooperation.

With China and Russia reaching important consensus last month in energy cooperation, such as expanding their oil trade, significant breakthroughs are expected in such strategic cooperation areas as aviation, nuclear energy and natural gas. Xi's tour will further advance bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

The visit should produce new highlights and expand the cooperation realm.

Booming economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa is one of the most dynamic highlights in global economic growth.

Since the China-Africa Cooperation Forum was founded in 2000, the content of cooperation between China and Africa is increasingly expanding. Xi's visit to the three African countries is expected to accelerate China's pragmatic cooperation with Africa and push a broader implementation of the reached agreements between China and African nations.

Liu said, in the economic realm, China would reinforce its investment in Africa's infrastructure construction, pay more attention to peace and security in the region, and support its integration process.

In the field of governance, China and Africa would exchange views on those pressing issues of common concern, such as the development of rural areas, infrastructure facilities and the economy and society, Liu said.

Xi recently has said Africa's development creates opportunities for China as China's development offers opportunities for the African continent, which inspires wide expectations for his African tour.

The Chinese leader's visit will add new vigor to cooperation mechanisms between emerging economies. BRICS countries, as a new force which has contributed to more than 50 percent of global economic growth, are making the world listen to their common voice.8 The long-waited BRICS banking and monetary cooperation mechanism proposed at last year's BRCIS meeting in Delhi, India, is ready to progress; the establishment of a BRICS business council and think-tank is on the agenda; and the trade and customs facilitation measures between BRICS countries are coming into force.

Efforts made by China and other BRICS countries in developing the bloc's structure would inject vigor, strengthen its members' confidence and facilitate the mechanism to bring in more member countries, said Yao Shumei, director of the International Economic and Financial Research Division of the Foreign Economic Institute of China's National Development and Reform Commission.

The breakthroughs in the cooperation mechanism between BRICS countries bore great significance in boosting the sustainable development of the global economy, building a multiple world financial system and pushing both South-South and South-North cooperation, she said.

Xi's visit will spread friendship and bring souls closer. Interaction with the foreign public has an important place on Xi's agenda. Booming cultural and people-to-people exchanges will reinforce the friendship between China and the peoples of other countries.

China and Russia have successfully held such activities as the "China-Russia National Year" and the "China-Russia Year of Language," and are preparing to hold a Tourism Year proposed by leaders of the two countries.

Xi's visit to Russia is expected to provide a chance for the start of a new round of cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

In Brazzaville, capital of the Republic of Congo, people are expecting Xi's visit to inspire a genial and fresh wind of "China Style" in the country.

On the beautiful and rich land of Africa stands the monument of traditional friendship between China and Africa, as well as various China-Africa cooperation projects. People expect Xi's visit to Africa to link up the past and the future of China-Africa friendship.