A Journey of Enhancing Friendship, Promoting Cooperation and Seeking Win-Win Results
--Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi Talks about President Hu Jintao's State Visit to Austria and Attendance of the Sixth G20 Summit
As the G20 Summit in Cannes was drawing to a close on Nov. 4, 2011, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, who accompanied President Hu Jintao during the trip, joined the journalists and talked about President Hu Jintao's visit to Austria, attendance of the G20 Summit in Cannes and the outcome.
In the six-day time, President Hu Jintao attended more than 40 activities. His trip was intensive in contents, diverse in forms, and productive in outcome. Yang summed up President Hu Jintao's visit with these comments.
Yang said President Hu's visit is a major diplomatic action taken by China in the context that the unstable and uncertain factors in the world economy increase significantly, some developed countries are facing the sovereign debt problems, the international financial market is turbulent, and various forms of trade and investment protectionism are on the rise. The visit enhanced cooperation between China and Austria and promoted the comprehensive and balanced development of China-EU relations. Through the visit, President Hu expounded China's position on boosting world economic growth and reforming the international financial system. The visit has guided the development direction of the G20 summit, enhanced friendly relations with related countries, has displayed the image of a responsible China, has safeguarded the vital interests of China and is of great significance to creating a favorable external environment.
Yang said the G20 summit in Cannes has a tight and intensive schedule. In just 2 days, President Hu took part in the leaders' plenary sessions at five stages and carried out very intensive diplomatic activities. More importantly, he delivered an important speech titled "to work together to promote growth and seek win-win results through cooperation". In his speech, President Hu comprehensively expounded China's positions and views on getting out of the current international financial crisis, strengthening global economic governance, and achieving strong, sustainable and balanced growth of the world economy. President Hu put forward a "five adhere" principle: adhere to finding the balance in the course of growth, adhere to seeking win-win results in the course of cooperation, adhere to improving governance in the course of reform, adhere to moving forward in the course of innovation, and adhere to promoting prosperity in the course of development. It was concise, to the point and conveyed a clear message of ensuring growth, promoting stability, and achieving win-win results through solidarity and cooperation; therefore it triggered strong resonance and appreciation from participating leaders.
On various occasions, President Hu made thematic presentations on the global economic situation, trade and other issues. He elaborated on the running of China's macro economy and China's policies and measures of accelerating the transformation of economic development patterns and the adjustment of economic structure, improving people's livelihood, and expanding domestic demands. He also declared China's contributions to the global economic growth. His remarks received strong attention and positive comments from the participating parties and the media. He clearly stated China's firm opposition to trade protectionism, which was echoed by many countries.
President Hu earnestly announced that to further help the least developed countries, China is willing, within the framework of south-south cooperation, to grant zero-tariff treatment to 97% products in the tariff lines of the least developed countries with diplomatic relations with China. This is an important and substantial step taken by China to facilitate the resolution of development issues and promote the Doha Development Agenda, which was widely praised by the international community and developing countries and became a highlight of the summit.
Yang said that the European sovereign debt issue is the focus of attention and a hot topic during the summit. The attitude of the international community, including China's attitude, was highly expected. In response, President Hu had an in-depth exchange of views with the participating leaders on the European sovereign debt problems during and outside the meetings. He emphasized that only when the European economy achieves recovery and realizes development, can the world economy achieve recovery and realize development. China believes that Europe has the wisdom and ability to solve the debt problem. China has always supported the efforts made by Europe to deal with the international financial crisis and achieve economic recovery. China's attitude was positive, sincere, reasonable, and received positive response from related countries.
On the eve of the summit, President Hu attended the leaders' meeting of BRICS countries, discussed with the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, and South African over strengthening the cooperation between BRICS countries, and exchanged views with them on the current world economic situation and the European debt problems.
Yang stressed that with the joint efforts of China and all parties concerned, the summit in general achieved positive and balanced outcome.
Yang said that after President Hu Jintao arrived in Cannes, regardless of travel fatigue, he immediately engaged in intensive bilateral meetings. He exchanged views with President Sarkozy on advancing China-France relations and making the G20 Summit in Cannes achieve positive results. He met separately with President Medvedev and President Dilma Rousseff and discussed with them on deepening cooperation between BRICS countries in the current situation and agreed to further strengthen the China-Russia and China-Brazil relations. He also exchanged views with President Obama on China-US relations and the G20 Cannes Summit. During the summit, President Hu also held talks with state leaders of many countries and heads of International organizations including South African President Jacob Zuma, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister Cameron, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde and WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy. He had a frank exchange of views with them on bilateral relations, the world economic situation and the international and regional issues of common interest and reached broad consensus.
Holding bilateral meetings on multilateral occasions is fast and efficient and has become a feature for China's leaders to attend multilateral meetings.
With regard to President Hu Jintao's state visit to Austria, Yang said President Hu's visit to Austria on the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations is of great significance. Austria attached great importance to President Hu's visit, warmly received President Hu, and accorded him the highest standard of hospitality and courtesy. During the visit, Austrian President Heinz Fischer and his wife accompanied President Hu Jintao and his wife Liu Yongqing throughout all the events.
During the visit, President Hu held talks with President Fischer and met with Chancellor Faymann, National Council President Barbara Prammer and other Austrian leaders. The related agencies of the two countries signed a total of 7 cooperation documents covering finance, culture, environmental protection, renewable energy and other areas.
Yang said President Hu and the leaders of Austria summed up the experience of development of bilateral relations since the establishment o diplomatic ties 40 years ago, planned the direction of bilateral relations for the next phase, and reached important consensus on promoting cooperation in various fields between the two countries. President Hu put forward a four-point proposal on the future development of bilateral relations. He stressed that both sides should strengthen political relations of equality and mutual trust, expand mutually beneficial and win-win economic and trade relations, promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges and cooperation, and deepen multilateral cooperation for peaceful development. The Austrian leaders fully agreed with President Hu's important opinions on the development of China-Austria relations and considered President Hu's visit significant for Austria and Europe. The Austrian side is willing to maintain close and frequent engagements and exchanges with China, expand bilateral economic and trade cooperation, and strengthen bilateral cooperation in culture, science & technology, and tourism. Austria is willing to maintain and expand communication and coordination with China in multilateral areas and bring the friendly and cooperative relations between China and Austria to a new level.
Friendship between China and Austria needs to be strengthened in a full-fledged manner and requires the wide participation of different communities. President Hu visited the Urbanhof farm located at the outskirt of St. Gilgen to learn more about the operation and production of the farm. He also had friendly chat with the Haas family, the owner of the farm and extended his best wishes for the family.
President Hu also visited the Austrian National Library and Mozart's residence. He had cordial conversations with people from different walks of life and stressed the importance of promoting cultural exchanges between China and Austria. These public activities increased mutual understanding and friendship between the people of the two countries.
Yang said President Hu Jintao's visit to Austria opened a new chapter for China-Austria relations, promoted the comprehensive and balanced development of China-Europe relations, and fulfilled the objectives of "consolidating friendship, promoting cooperation, planning the future".
Yang finally said that President Hu's trip to Europe was a journey of enhancing friendship, promoting cooperation and seeking win-win results and achieved a complete success.