Packed trip to Peru, Brazil highlights multilateralism, shared development
Traveling more than 40,000 kilometers, President Xi Jinping leveraged his 11-day Latin American tour, which concluded on Nov 23, to once again send out a message of “friendship, unity and cooperation” in order to build a community with a shared future for mankind, according to a senior diplomat.
The trip took Xi to Peru and Brazil — attending the 31st APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Peru’s capital, Lima, the 19th G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and making state visits to both countries.
From Lima to Rio, Xi sent a clear message of firmly upholding multilateralism at the crossroads of human history, illuminated the “Latin American moment” of global governance with Chinese wisdom, and demonstrated China’s image as a responsible major country with fairness, justice, courage, openness and inclusiveness, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Chinese media upon the conclusion of Xi’s tour.
During an intensive series of diplomatic engagements, Xi attended nearly 40 bilateral and multilateral events, during which China signed more than 60 cooperation documents, said Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.
The trip has contributed to promoting strategic communication, deepening practical cooperation, and bolstering the healthy development of major-country relations, while also leading the Global South in unity and self-strengthening for shared development, Wang added.
The key highlight of Xi’s visit to Peru was his joint participation with Peruvian President Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra via video link in the opening ceremony of Chancay Port, the first smart and green deep-water port in South America.
The landmark Belt and Road project has enabled the phrase “from Chancay to Shanghai” to become a reality, promising significant benefits for Peru and the broader Asia-Pacific region.
Boluarte described the opening of Chancay Port as a historic moment of pride for all Peruvian people, saying the project will help promote Latin American integration and usher in a new chapter of economic development for Peru, Wang noted.
In Brazil, Xi reiterated the importance of development in global governance, calling for building a just world of shared growth.
At the 11th G20 Summit in 2016 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China placed development at the center of the G20’s macroeconomic policy coordination for the first time, and the summit in Rio decided to establish a Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. As Xi noted, from Hangzhou to Rio, G20 leaders have been working toward one and the same goal — to build a just world of common development.
Wang said Xi’s proposals for global governance at the Rio summit responded to the strong aspirations of the Global South for equality and reform, made clear the correct direction for improving global governance, and provided reassurance to the world at large.
During Xi’s stay in Peru and Brazil, leaders of various countries expressed their sincere admiration for Xi’s experience in governance and his demeanor as a great leader, Wang said, adding that Chilean President Gabriel Boric carried with him a Spanish edition of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China (Volume IV), and personally asked Xi to sign it as a keepsake.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva commended Xi, saying the Chinese president works for the well-being of the people, upholds social fairness and justice, and advocates peace rather than war, and cooperation rather than confrontation, according to Wang.
Wang also cited Peruvian President Boluarte’s comment about Xi during a media interview, in which she said Xi has demonstrated how a country can get out of extreme poverty and become a strong nation. “From China we have learned that nothing is impossible,” Wang quoted her as saying.
During his trip, Xi also elaborated on China’s measures to promote high-quality development and high-level opening-up, Wang said.
