Roundup: Foreign leaders, NDB president laud China, BRI in meetings with Xi

BEIJING, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Eight foreign leaders and president of the New Development Bank (NDB) held bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday after attending the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which concluded on Wednesday.

They lauded the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and China's constructive role in international affairs, among others.

Prime Minister of Egypt Mostafa Madbouly said that Egypt and Arab countries commended China for its consistent and fair stance on the Palestinian issue and look forward to China's more significant role in resolving the current crisis.

Highly commending China's important role in world peace and stability, Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh noted that Mongolia attaches importance to strengthening trilateral cooperation among Mongolia, China and Russia, and it is willing to promote interaction and collaboration with China in multilateral affairs.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet expressed appreciation for China's long-time and valuable support for Cambodia, noting that Cambodia firmly pursues a friendly policy toward China and supports China's core interests.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, chairman of the People's Council of Turkmenistan, said China and Turkmenistan should continue to deepen economic and energy cooperation as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and strengthen multilateral communication and coordination within frameworks such as the China-Central Asia mechanism.

President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso said that the BRI is a great project that offers the world a new model of inclusive development, and China is a major contributor to global economic growth. The Republic of the Congo looks forward to strengthening practical cooperation with China in areas such as infrastructure and green energy, and maintaining close communication and coordination within frameworks including the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, he said.

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin noted that Thailand will work with China to build a more stable, prosperous and sustainable Thailand-China community with a shared future. He said Thailand will do its utmost to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens in Thailand, and welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest and more Chinese citizens to visit Thailand.

Mozambican Prime Minister Adriano Maleiane said important initiatives including the BRI and the Global Development Initiative can help other countries eliminate poverty, develop economy and improve people's livelihoods. Mozambique hopes to learn from China's modernization experience, better realize its own development, deepen practical cooperation with China in various fields and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, said Maleiane.

Prime Minister of Pakistan Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar said that Pakistan will always be a reliable and trustworthy friend of China and will never allow any force to undermine the Pakistan-China friendship. Pakistan will also be committed to deepening the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership with China, he added.

NDB President Dilma Rousseff thanked the Chinese government for its support for the NDB and expressed the belief that the BRI and the forum will play an important role in global sustainable development and green development. The NDB is willing to actively participate in Belt and Road cooperation and make due contributions to promoting world multi-polarity and the reform of the international financial system, she said.