FOCUS Exchanges

FOCUS Exchanges

China-Guinea Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Cooperation

Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Alpha Conde of Guinea held talks during Conde’s visit to Beijing on November 2. The two heads of state decided to establish a China-Guinea comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation, and take the implementation of results achieved at the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation as an opportunity to expand their bilateral cooperation in various areas in an all-around friendly and mutually beneficial way, so as to create a brighter future for the relationship between the two countries.

Xi Jinping emphasized that China and Guinea should persist in planning and developing bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, strengthening bilateral exchanges, increasing cooperation with people from ruling parties, legislative bodies and local government, and consolidating the political foundation of a long-term friendship.

Both sides should deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in economy and trade, and implement relevant cooperation projects. China stands ready to expand agricultural cooperation, and work with Guinea to carry out strategic cooperation in resource development. China also plans to enhance exchanges and cooperation in areas including culture, education, healthcare, and tourism, and to comprehensively strengthen international coordination with Guinea.

Alpha Conde expressed that Guinea appreciates China’s long-term support, including the assistance China provided during the Ebola epidemic. Guinea is willing to work with China to expand cooperation in resources, energy, science and technology, agriculture, hydroelectricity, infrastructure and port construction, and promote exchanges on the topic of state governance and administration.

Media’s Role in China-Australia Relations

The Fourth China-Australia Media Forum was held in Chengdu, Sichuan Province on November 2. In attendance were the Deputy Head of China’s State Council Information Office Guo Weimin, and Australia’s Consul-General in Chengdu Nancy Gordon, as well as other Chinese and Australian officials and representatives from nearly 30 mainstream media outlets.

The forum, co-hosted by China’s State Council Information Office and the Australian News Channel, focused on the “Media’s role in promoting China-Australia relations: opportunities and challenges.” Representatives at the forum exchanged views on media cooperation and how to ensure healthy and stable development of bilateral relations between the two countries.

In his speech delivered at the opening ceremony, Guo Weimin said that the Chinese and Australian Media should report on each country objectively and rationally to play a constructive role in advancing the strategic partnership.

China and Central and Eastern Europe

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang proposed initiatives to further“16+1” cooperation in his address to the Fifth China-CEEC Summit in Riga, Latvia on November 5. Li commented that the theme chosen for the summit – “connectivity, innovation, inclusiveness and common development” – is both timely and relevant.

The Premier called for increased cooperation on infrastructure and connectivity in order to bolster the role of CEE countries as a transport hub on the Eurasian Land Bridge. Secondly, he proposed to enhance financial cooperation in order to support “16+1” cooperation and finance joint projects in diverse ways. Thirdly, he urged participants to explore cooperation on building a green economy, and step up that on green agriculture, environmental protection and clean energy. Finally, he called for improved people-to-people exchanges, so fully exploiting education, culture, tourism, health and youth cooperation mechanisms.

Chinese and Turkish Foreign Ministers Talk Strategic Cooperation

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu attended the first meeting of the mechanism for consultation between Chinese and Turkish foreign ministers in Ankara on November 13, 2016. Both countries pledged to further bilateral strategic cooperation in several areas, including the economy and antiterrorism.

Wang Yi noted that as developing countries with emerging economies, China and Turkey enjoy vast potential with a lot of room for development in bilateral relations. He expressed the hope that both countries will be able to bring their respective potential into full play through joint efforts to build the “Silk Road Economic Belt” and the “21st Century Maritime Silk Road,” boosting national and regional development. Cavusoglu said Turkey stands ready to further promote its relations with China in terms of economy and security.

Both sides agreed to align China’s “Belt and Road” Initiative with Turkey’s “Middle Corridor” project, with emphasis on major cooperative projects such as high-speed rail construction, in a bid to further common development. The two sides also agreed to deepen cooperation over security and anti-terrorism, build mutual political trust, and support each other in efforts of safeguarding national sovereignty, security and stability.