Exchanges

International Engineering Sci-Tech Conference Held in Beijing

Over 1，500 experts from 15 countries and regions attended the International Engineering Sci-Tech Conference in Beijing on June 2 and 3， 2014. The conference， themed “Engineering and the Future of Humankind，”was held by UNESCO， the International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences（CAETS） and the Chinese Academy of Engineering （CAE）. Chinese President Xi Jinping， in his keynote speech， said， Chinas 42 million talents in engineering and technology are “Chinas most valuable resources in exploring the future.” China takes innovation-driven development as a major national strategy and considers openness as the soul of engineering and technology. Prior to the conference， Xi met with UNESCO Director-general Irina Bokova and CAETS Secretary William Salmon. Bokova and Salmon spoke positively of Chinas support for the development of engineering and technology， and endeavors in promoting international cooperation in this field. They pledged to carry out more exchanges and cooperation with China.

Chinese and Malaysian Leaders Mark 40th Anniversary of Bilateral Diplomatic Ties

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak attended a grand ceremony in Beijing on May 31， 2014， marking the 40th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties. In his address， Li said that Malaysia was the first among ASEAN （Association of Southeast Asian Nations） countries to forge diplomatic ties with China， unveiling a new chapter in the history of China-Malaysia and ChinaASEAN relations. He hailed the all-round stable growth of bilateral cooperation over the past 40 years， citing strengthened political trust and personnel exchanges， and a trade volume surpassing US $100 billion. Li pointed out that China is ready to work closely with Malaysia to cement strategic trust， expanding win-win cooperation to jointly benefit the two peoples and to build a brighter future for Asia. He also vowed joint efforts with Malaysia to search for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet MH370， and properly resolve the aftermath. Najib said that Malaysia expects to facilitate exchange and cooperation with China in all areas， to jointly safeguard regional peace and stability， and promote common prosperity. Malaysia was deeply saddened by the MH370 incident， and Najib expressed gratitude for Chinas assistance， vowing to keep up search and rescue operations.

Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong Visits Croatia

Croatian President Ivo Josipovic met with visiting Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong in Zagreb， the capital of Croatia， on May 23， 2014. Josipovic expressed gratitude for the speedy response and offer of aid from the Chinese government after a severe flood struck Croatia in midMay. He said it displayed the precious and long-standing friendship of the two countries. Regarding the violent terrorist attack in Xinjiang on May 22， the President said the Croatian people stand firm with the Chinese people in the fight against terrorism and for maintaining world peace. Liu Yandong said that Croatias entry into the European Union provides new opportunities for China-Croatia relations， as well China-Europe relations. China will continue to strengthen collaborative relationship in all aspects with Croatia， and boost bilateral exchanges and cooperation in such areas as technology， sports， and humanities.

The 6th Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum Kicks off

The 6th Ministerial Conference of the ChinaArab States Cooperation Forum （CASCF） kicked off in Beijing on June 5， 2014. Chinese President Xi Jinping met the heads of delegations from Arab countries and attended the opening ceremony. Calling Arab countries “good friends and brothers，” Xi said that China has always valued its relations with Arab nations and advanced the relationship from a strategic height and long-term perspective. China adheres to four policies for Arab countries： unswerving support for the West Asian peace process and safeguarding the legitimate rights of Arab peoples， pushing forward a political settlement to promote peace and stability in West Asia， supporting the development of Arab countries and their efforts to explore their own development paths， and advancing dialogue between civilizations. In his speech， Xi called on both sides to carry forward the Silk Road spirit and deepen their cooperation. He remarked that China and Arab nations should establish a cooperative framework centered on energy cooperation， building infrastructure along with trade and investment as the“two pillars，” and aim for high-tech breakthroughs in nuclear energy， aerospace， and new energy sources.