China's Xi rejects 'bloc confrontation' as begins BRI forum
By Oliver Hotham with Luna Lin
Beijing (AFP) Oct 18, 2023
Chinese President Xi Jinping said his country rejected "economic coercion" and "bloc confrontation" Wednesday, at the opening ceremony of a forum of international delegates to the Belt and Road forum in Beijing.
Beijing this week hosts representatives of 130 countries for a forum on the Belt and Road Initiative, Xi's vast trade and infrastructure project.
At the top of the guest list is Russian President Vladimir Putin, who began holding talks with Xi on the sidelines of the forum, with the war raging between Israel and Palestinian militant organisation Hamas looming large.
Putin is on his first trip to a major global power since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine threw his regime into international isolation.
And with the multilateral summit overshadowed by the Israel-Hamas war, Xi opened the forum with a speech promising Beijing would not engage in "ideological confrontation, geopolitical games or bloc confrontation".
"We oppose unilateral sanctions, economic coercion, decoupling and delinking," Xi told delegates.
"Viewing the development of others as a threat and economic interdependence as a risk will not make one's own life any better or one's own development any faster," he said.
Instead, Xi said, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) would seek to "inject new impetus into the global economy".
"The BRI aims to enhance policy, infrastructure, trade, financial and people-to-people connectivity," he said.
"We deeply believe that only when there is win-win cooperation can things get done, and get done well," he added.
"China is willing to deepen cooperation with Belt and Road partners... and work unremittingly to realise the modernisation of every country in the world."
"Jointly building the Belt and Road originated in China, but its achievements and opportunities belong to the world," he said.
The Russian president then took to the stage, saying the BRI initiative was an unexpected "success story".
"Given the global dimensions of the initiative the Chinese leader launched a decade ago, frankly, one can hardly expect to make it work," Putin said in his address to delegates.
"Our Chinese friends are making it work. We are glad to see this success story as it means a lot to many of us."
Xi welcomed the Russian leader to Beijing on Tuesday, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries.
They also took part in a group photo with other leaders attending the summit.
At an official banquet, Xi delivered a toast in which he alluded to recent geopolitical conflicts, but added that "the historical (trend) of peace" was "unstoppable".
The United States has asked China to use its influence to help de-escalate the Israel-Hamas conflict, which has seen more than a million people in the blockaded Gaza Strip flee the relentless bombardment that Israel launched in retaliation for the attack.
China brokered an entente between key Hamas backer Iran and its regional foe Saudi Arabia earlier this year, and will send its Middle East envoy Zhai Jun to the volatile region this week.
No details have been given about where or when exactly Zhai would travel, though China's state broadcaster CCTV has said he will push for a ceasefire and peace talks.
Russia, which has traditionally maintained good relations with both Israeli and Palestinian authorities, has called for an "immediate ceasefire" in the conflict.
Artificial Intelligence Analysis
Summary:
Chinese President Xi Jinping opened the forum of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Beijing, with 130 countries represented. Russian President Vladimir Putin is a guest of the forum and is on his first trip to a major global power since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, which has thrown his regime into international isolation. In his opening speech, Xi declared that China would not engage in “ideological confrontation, geopolitical games or bloc confrontation”, but instead that the BRI would seek to “inject new impetus into the global economy” by enhancing policy, infrastructure, trade, financial, and people-to-people connectivity.
Economic Implications:
The BRI is a vast trade and infrastructure project, and its implementation could bring significant economic benefits to participating countries. It could also inject new impetus into the global economy by enhancing policy, infrastructure, trade, financial, and people-to-people connectivity.Environmental Implications:
The environmental implications of the BRI are not immediately clear, but the project could have both positive and negative impacts depending on the nature of its implementation.Safety Implications:
The safety implications of the BRI are also unclear, but the project could potentially improve the safety and security of participating countries if implemented properly.Geopolitical Implications:
The BRI could have significant geopolitical implications, as it could strengthen diplomatic ties between countries and potentially lead to increased cooperation between them. It could also help reduce tensions between China and some of its neighbours.Societal Implications:
The BRI could have significant societal implications, as it could lead to increased economic opportunities for participating countries and improved quality of life for their citizens.
Conclusion:
The BRI has the potential to bring significant economic, environmental, safety, geopolitical, and societal benefits to participating countries. However, the potential impacts of the project will depend on how it is implemented. Further investigation is needed to understand the potential long-term implications of the BRI.
Investigative Questions:
- What are the potential long-term economic, environmental, and safety implications of the BRI?
- What are the potential geopolitical and societal implications of the BRI?
- How will the project be implemented to ensure its success?
Comparison to Star Trek:
This situation is reminiscent of the United Federation of Planets in the Star Trek universe, where many planets come together in a cooperative effort to promote peace and prosperity.
This AI report is generated by a sophisticated prompt to a ChatGPT API. Our editors clean text for presentation, but preserve AI thought for our collective observation. Please comment and ask questions about AI use by Spacedaily. We appreciate your support and contribution to better trade news.
