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Chinese Pres. stresses high-quality development of Belt, Road project

Chinese President Xi Jinping
Chinese President Xi Jinping
TOKYO, April 26 (KUNA) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping urged on Friday participants of the Belt and Road Initiative to continuously advance the initiative along the path of high-quality development, China state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.
Xi made the statement in a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing.
"The principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits should be upheld.
The open, green and clean approaches should be adhered to," Xi was quoted as saying.
The goals of high standard, livelihood-improving and sustainable development should be achieved, according to the president.
Xi also announced that China will also support 5,000 people from innovation sector in Belt and Road countries in conducting exchanges, training programs and joint researches in the next five years.
"China will work with other participants of the Belt and Road Initiative to promote scientific and cultural exchanges, set up joint science labs, build science and technology parks, and promote transfer of technologies," Xi said.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin said China's Belt and Road infrastructure initiative meshes perfectly with the goals of the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union.
Putin told a Belt and Road forum in Beijing that China's moves "fit perfectly into our plans." The Eurasian Economic Union groups Russia with Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in a common market that seeks to remove barriers to the free movement of goods, services, capital and labor.
Putin added those five member states "unanimously supported the idea of linking the construction of the Eurasian Economic Community" and the Belt and Road.
On another front, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said China's Belt and Road initiative offers a chance to help reverse the effects of climate change.
Speaking Friday at the Beijing forum, Guterres praised China for investments of more than USD 125 billion on renewable energy in 2017, saying they played a pivotal role in securing an agreement at last year's UN Climate Conference in Poland.
The scale of planned Belt and Road investments, "offers a meaningful opportunity to contribute to the creation of a more equitable, prosperous world for all, and to reversing the negative impact of climate change," Guterres said.
The UN wants to align the Belt and Road with its sustainable development goals, Guterres added.
Some 37 heads of state or government, including Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, are taking part in the three-day forum, which began on Thursday.
In addition, about 5,000 participants from more than 150 countries are gathering. (end) mk.mb