Xi’s address at EEF draws clear roadmap for bright future of Northeast Asia
BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping’s address at the fourth Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) has drawn a clear roadmap for a bright future of Northeast Asia, officials and experts have said.
In his speech at the forum, Xi proposed that countries in Northeast Asia should build up mutual trust to safeguard regional peace and tranquility; deepen cooperation to achieve mutuallybeneficial and win-win outcomes; learn from each other to consolidate their traditional friendship; and take a long-term perspective to realize integrated and coordinated development. Officials and experts say that Xi’s proposals conform to the trend of the times and the interests of all related parties, which draw a clear roadmap for a bright future of Northeast Asia.
The EEF has become an important new platform for meetings of leaders of China and Russia, thanks to frequent exchange visits of the two heads of state of the two countries, Russian Economic Development Minister Maksim Oreshkin said. He said Xi’s attendance at the forum shows the significance of frank discussions on economic and trade issues between the two countries against the backdrop of rising protectionism and will vigorously promote active consultation on economy, trade and investment among related parties in the region.
Alexei Maslov, head of the Asian Studies Department at the Russian Higher School of Economics, National Research University, said the EEF is not only a place to talk about Far East cooperation but also a platform to discuss the development of Northeast Asia.
The Chinese president, who participated in the forum for the first time, elaborated on his proposals on Northeast Asia cooperation and development, Maslov said, adding that it shows China, with a global vision, is committed to multilateral consultation and attaches great importance to deepening cooperation on economy and trade with regional countries to achieve winwin results.
Dashdorj Bayarkhuu, professor at the Mongolian Diplomatic Academy, said a lot of information that is key for Mongolia’s economic and social development can be read from Xi’s remarks. He said Xi’s proposal on deepening cooperation to achieve mutuallybeneficial and winwin outcomes is good news for accelerating the construction of the economic corridor linking Mongolia, China and Russia.
Lee Sang-man, professor of the Institute for Far Eastern Studies of Kyungnam University, highlighted Xi’s proposal on dovetailing the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative with other countries’ development strategies. Lee said the Belt and Road Initiative is highly compatible with South Korea’s New Northern Policy, as both contain Far East cooperation and Eurasian interconnectivity, adding that the two strategies can be brought into deep alignment. (Xinhua)