Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for unity within the G20 and called for «global collaboration» to boost economic development and «prioritize development» at the international level, during a speech at the bloc’s summit in Bali, Indonesia.
«We need to build a global partnership for economic recovery, prioritize development and put people at the center, always take into account the difficulties faced by developing countries and address their concerns,» said the Asian giant’s leader, as reported by China’s Xinhua news agency.
He called for «containing inflation globally and defusing systemic economic and financial risks» and added that «developed economies should mitigate the negative consequences of their monetary tightening policies and keep their debts at sustainable levels».
Xi has also called for the inclusion of the African Union in the G20 and has denounced «attempts» to politicize food and energy issues and use them as «tools and weapons», while calling for the withdrawal of unilateral sanctions, in an apparent reference to the measures taken against Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine.
«All countries must replace division with unity, confrontation with cooperation and exclusion with inclusion,» he has said during his speech, as reported by German news agency DPA. «No one should engage in practices of impoverishing the neighbor and building ‘a small yard with high fences’,» he has argued.
Later, Xi has held a meeting with the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, a meeting in which both have stressed the importance of bilateral relations. In this regard, the Chinese president said that the ties between the two countries have allowed an «important bilateral cooperation» in recent years.
The Chinese president stressed that the world has entered «a new period of turbulence and change» and called for «maintaining the spirit of independence, openness and cooperation». «China hopes that France will give Chinese businesses a fairer, more equal and non-discriminatory environment,» he stressed.
In this line, he has stated that China and Europe have achieved a «strong relationship of economic interdependence» and has advocated «expanding» trade and investment, while Macron has conveyed to his Chinese counterpart his «great concern» about Russia’s decision to continue the war in Ukraine.
Macron has said that «the consequences of this conflict go beyond European borders and must be overcome through close cooperation between France and China,» according to a statement from the Elysée, which has specified that «the two heads of state have reaffirmed their commitment to respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and are convinced of the urgent need for a reduction of hostilities.»
«Both have reaffirmed their firm position against the use of nuclear weapons,» said the Elysee, which said that Macron «has stressed that the contribution of the G20 members will be crucial to appease the agricultural markets» and highlighted the «efforts» of Paris and the European Union (EU) for the export of cereals from Ukraine.
On the other hand, the two discussed «actions to support and finance the most vulnerable economies», while the French President agreed on the path of «consolidating the strategic partnership between France and China, especially in the sectors of aeronautics, nuclear energy for civilian purposes and agriculture» to achieve «a balanced and mutually beneficial relationship».
