Xi’s Paris, Africa trips promote common development: Chinese FM

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Xinhua, Johannesburg :
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s attendance at the Paris climate change conference and his following African trip displayed China’s readiness to jointly rise up to global challenges with other countries and to promote common development, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Saturday.
After discussing with world leaders ways to better combat climate change in Paris, Xi visited Harare, capital of Zimbabwe, and Pretoria of South Africa for state visits, and then travelled to Johannesburg for a summit on China-Africa cooperation.
Over the past seven days, Xi has met with leaders from more than 50 countries and regional organizations and delivered a number of important speeches with the aim of cementing solidarity and achieving win-win cooperation.
The highly-anticipated Paris climate meeting, which was opened by leaders from over 150 countries, is a crucial point in the process of global climate governance, Wang said.
President Xi has put forward important proposals at the meeting and carried out intensive coordination with other parties, making irreplaceable contributions to the success of the conference, which aimed to produce a new international accord to cut greenhouse gases beyond 2020 when the 1997 Kyoto Protocol expires, said the Chinese foreign minister.
Wang quoted Xi as saying that the Paris agreement should strengthen global actions against climate change after 2020 and push countries across the world to achieve better sustainable development.
Xi’s proposals, which are based on the current situation, are also future-oriented, Wang said, adding that they represent the common pursuit of the developing countries, while also taking into consideration of the stances of each side.
The initiatives have earned extensive support and approval, Wang said.
During his stay in Paris, Xi met French President Francois Hollande, U.S. President Barack Obama, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, taking the opportunities to advance bilateral relations with these countries and also to carry out negotiations on climate change. He also met other world leaders to build consensus in the regard of climate change, Wang noted.
In Paris, Xi reiterated the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities,” a cornerstone laid by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992, adding that it must be adhered to during the upcoming climate negotiations. He also called upon developed countries to honor their commitment to climate finance and transfer of low-carbon and eco-friendly technologies to developing countries.
The proposals made by President Xi consolidated the international collaboration in the battle against climate change, Wang added.
The Chinese top diplomat also pointed out that the Paris meeting witnessed China’s efforts to inject fresh impetus to South-South climate cooperation.
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