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Xi meets world leaders ahead of economic forum
May 13, 2017, 9:55 am

Chinese President Xi Jinping has been meeting with world leaders ahead of the Belt Road Forum for Cooperation, and has been hoping to boost trade and economic deals around the world [Xinhua]


Chinese President Xi Jinping has met with a number of leaders arriving in Beijing to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation which begins May 14.

On Saturday, Xi met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and they announced that they would enhance China-Hungary ties.

The two leaders announced the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership and discussed joint projects such as the Hungary-Serbia railway project.

Xi then met with Swiss President Doris Leuthard and the two discussed Beijing’s proposal that the two countries upgrade their current free trade agreement.

Xi also met with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and discussed the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Xi also said that China wants to boost cooperation with Pakistan under the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

The Chinese president also called on Pakistan to work with China in joint anti-terrorism and security initiatives.

On Saturday, Xi also met with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and lauded Kuala Lumpur for being one of the early supporters of the Belt and Road Initiative.

China’s One Belt, One Road initiative aims to create a modern Silk Road Economic Belt and a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road to boost trade and extend its global influence.

The ancient Silk Road connected China and Europe from around 100 B.C.

The 6,000-km road linked ancient Chinese, Indian, Babylonian, Arabic, Persian, Greek and Roman civilizations.

“China has invested more than $50 billion in countries along the Belt and Road since proposing the initiative in 2013,” He Lifeng, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, said in early March.

The BRICS Post with inputs from Agencies