President Xi promotes partnership, shared future in UN Geneva speech

World Today

China’s President Xi Jinping has promised to build a new model of relations with the United States as part of a global “circle of friends.”

His speech at the U.N. in Geneva Wednesday was the final event of a Swiss State Visit that included topping the bill at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

CGTN’s Richard Bestic reports.

The message from President Xi Jinping was straight forward – in a world of change and challenges a shared future is a great cause.

“Partnership,” said the president, “is the path to economic growth.”

But while industrialization has brought huge material benefits it has damaged the environment. He stressed that China’s commitment to the Paris Agreement on global warming would be met in full.

President Xi talked of China’s contributions to the world in the form of new trade routes and new investment models.

He highlighted China’s investments around the world.

“Trade should be equitable and based on international law, while all civilizations are worthy of respect,” Xi said.

This was a thoughtful speech from the President, peppered as it was with references to history and literature from both East and West. 

And it appealed to the core values of the United Nations. It was also perhaps a case being made to the incoming administration in Washington that China is a force for good in the world.


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