Xi, world leaders advance cooperative ties

Editor's Note: President Xi Jinping continued his schedule ofmeetings on Saturdaywith leaders attending the Belt and Road Forumfor International Cooperation. The following are highlights of the talks as reported by China Daily.

Hungary

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Hungarian PrimeMinister Viktor Orban and announced the two countries' establishment of a bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.The partnership reflects the progress of their relations and ushers in a broad space for cooperation,Xi said.

Both sides should strengthen the link between the Belt and Road Initiative and Hungary's Opening to the East strategy,Xi said.

They should continue tapping into their collaboration's potential, promoting major projects such as the HungarySerbia railway and expanding financial cooperation,Xi said.

Orban said Hungary admires China's achievements in economic and social development,particularly inpoverty alleviation, and believes China's market economy status is indisputable.

Hungary is committed to deepening cooperation in areas such as infrastructure and agriculture,and it supports cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries and the development ofChinaEurope ties, he said.

Greece

China and Greece should expand cooper ation in energy, infrastructure and the oceanic and telecommunications sectors to better benefit the people of both countries,PresidentXi Jinping saidwhen meeting Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

Xi said both countries must work together to ensure balanced trade and realize their potential for cultural and peopletopeople cooperation.

Greece's own development strategy dovetailswith the Belt andRoad Initiative,Xi said.

Efforts should be made to build the Port of Piraeus into a key transfer point for containers in theMediterranean and a bridgehead to support the planned ChinaEurope LandSea ExpressRoute and the Belt andRoad Initiative, he said.

Tsipras called for deeper cooperation in agriculture, the economy, energy, finance,investment and new technologies,and to jointly advance the Piraeus project.

He said the initiative holds great importance,andis conducive to greater energy, trade,transport and internet connectivity acrossEurasia.

Pakistan

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for construction of the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor to be pushed forward whenmeeting Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.

Xi said China has made its relationswithPakistanapriority and expects towork together to enrich their allweather strategic cooperative partnership.

He said the two sides should advance construction of the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor,promote the Port of Gwadar and supporting projects,accelerate the planning of industrial parks, finish a longtermblueprint at an early date,and implement traffic infrastructure and energy projects.Theyshouldalsoboostcooperation in counterterrorism and have closer coordination on major international andregional affairs,Xi added.

Sharif said his whole country supports participation in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Pakistan is willing to work withChina topromote the economic corridor andpushcooperation in areas like energy and infrastructure, including the Port ofGwadar, he said.

Switzerland

Chinese

President Xi Jinping asked for an early start to negotiations with Switzerland on the upgrading of their free trade agreement as he met SwissPresidentDorisLeuthard.

Relations have deepened since the establishment of an innovative strategic partnership last year, Xi said, adding that the two countries should start negotiations to update their free trade agreement and strengthen strategic alignment of the "Made in China 2025" action plan and Switzerland's"Industry 4.0" strategy.

He said he expects Switzerland to push forward pragmatic cooperation with China in key sectors.

Leuthard said Xi's visit to Switzerland in January was a success. She said both sides should implement agreements that were reached during the visit and promote cooperation in various fields including innovation, energy,finance and tourism.

Switzerland believes the Belt and Road Initiative will benefit the people in the countries involved,Leuthard said, adding her country will contribute to

the initiative.

Malaysia

China andMalaysia should push forward cooperation on major projects such as industrial parks and railways, President Xi Jinping said when he met with Malaysian Prime MinisterNajibRazak.

SinoMalaysian relations are at a historic high, Xi said,adding that China would like to work closer with Malaysia so that both can prosper further from their comprehensive strategic partnership.

Communication between the two nations' leaders has been strengthened in recent years, he said, adding that the pair hadworked to proactively connect the 21st CenturyMaritime Silk Road to Malaysia's plans for its economy.

China is willing to enhance cooperation in areas such as education, culture, tourism as well as law enforcement, security and antiterrorism,Xi said.

Prime Minister Razak said Malaysiawould like to push the developmentofMalaysiaChina relations to a higher level,while deepening cooperation in areas

including trade, investment,infrastructure, counterterrorismand security.

Spain

Spain's advant a geous location means it could play an important role in supporting the Belt and Road Initiative,PresidentXi Jinping saidwhen hemet Spanish PrimeMinister Mariano Rajoy. The YiwuMadrid rail service has become an important bridge connecting Asia with Europe, and was one of the earliest achievements of the initiative,Xi said.

He said China and Spain began trading 400 years agovia the maritime Silk Road,and the two countries should connect each other's development strategies,while deepening cooperation in areas such as agriculture, biopharmaceuticals,aviation and aerospace.

China firmly supports an integrated Europe and hopes that Spain can help contribute to ChinaEurope relations, Xi said.

Spain speaks highly of the Belt and Road Initiative and its potential for economic influence and culture exchanges, Rajoy said, adding that the country would like to deepen cooperation with China on trade, investment, infrastructure,and peopletopeople exchanges.

Turkey

China is willing to push forward its cooper ation with Turkey on important projects under theframeworkof theBelt and Road Initiative, President Xi Jinping said on Saturday while talkingwithTurkishPresidentRecepTayyipErdogan.

The two countries should respect each other's core concerns,deepen cooperation in regards to fighting terrorism andsecurity, andconnect their development strategies under the principles of equality and mutual benefit, Xi said.

He said China was highly appreciative of Turkey's support and participation in building the Belt andRoad Initiative and noted that SinoTurkish cooperation had developed rapidly in recent years.He added that China would like to enhance communication with all relevant parties for peace andstabilityintheMiddleEast.

Erdogan described the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation as an important step.

He added that Turkey is willing to enhance cooperation with China on investment,transportation and infrastructure construction.