Hu's European trip advances friendship, cooperation, win-win outcomes

Chinese President Hu Jintao's state visit to Austria and trip to France's Cannes for the sixth summit of the Group of Twenty (G20) have promoted friendship, cooperation and efforts to seek a win-win outcome, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Friday when the summit was closing. During his six-day trip which ended Friday, Hu attended more than 40 functions and activities. Yang, who accompanied Hu during the journey, described the trip as "rich in content, diverse in form, fruitful in outcome." ADVANCING COOPERATION During the bustling two-day Cannes summit, Hu was busy with many diplomatic activities, among others, the delivery of a speech entitled "Promote Growth Through Win-Win Cooperation" which elaborated China's proposals for addressing the world's current financial crisis. In the proposals, Hu said that growth must be ensured while paying attention to balance, with strong growth as the primary goal in pursuing strong, sustainable and balanced growth. Hu also called for pursuing win-win outcomes through cooperation, improving governance in the course of reform, striving for progress through innovation, and promoting common prosperity through development. The proposals sent a clear signal of ensuring growth, enhancing stability, jointly facing the current situation, and seeking win-win cooperation, and the proposals were highly praised by the leaders participating in the summit, Yang said. On various occasions, the Chinese president touched on issues like the state of the global economy and trade and introduced China's macroeconomic performance this year and the related policies and measures, Yang said. Hu's remarks on China's contribution to world economic growth received positive comments from the participants, and China's firm stance against trade protectionism as declared by Hu was seconded by many countries, Yang said. At the summit, Hu announced that, to further help the least developed countries, China will, in the context of South-South cooperation, give zero-tariff treatment to 97 percent of the tariff items of exports to China from the least developed countries having diplomatic ties with China. This is a substantial move made by China to facilitate development and push ahead the Doha Development Agenda, which has been praised by the international community and developing countries, Yang said. During the summit, Hu also exchanged in-depth views on the European sovereign debt issue with leaders of other countries, stressing the global economy can recover only if Europe joins China in thinking it completely has the ability to solve its debt issues. China has been supporting Europe's efforts to offset the impact of the global financial crisis and realize an economic recovery, Yang said, adding China's candid and reasonable stance received an enthusiastic response from the affected countries.