China’s Xi hosts billionaire Gates

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Pinning hope on the American public to maintain Sino-China relations, President Xi Jinping said Friday the foundation of Beijing-Washington relations “lies in people-to-people ties.”

Xi made the remarks after he hosted billionaire Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft and co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in Beijing.

“You are the first American friend I met in Beijing this year,” Xi told Gates, according to state-run Xinhua News.

Gates, 67, arrived in China on Wednesday for his first visit to the global superpower in four years. He has visited China 18 times until now.

“We always place hope on the American people, and hope that peoples of our two countries will maintain their friendship," Xi said.

The meeting comes amid what Beijing calls “new difficulties” faced by bilateral relations with Washington.

As the world is moving out of the COVID-19 pandemic, Xi said: “People should move more, communicate more, and enhance understanding.”

Referring to his proposals of Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative, Xi said these initiatives “provide Chinese solutions to global challenges” which are “accelerating.”

“China first focuses on solving its own problems well,” he said, adding: “China’s long-term stability and sustainable development is a major contribution to world peace, stability and prosperity.”

Xi emphasized China “will never seek hegemony, but will work with other countries to achieve common development and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.”

To Gates and his foundation, Xi said: “China is willing to work with him and his foundation to continue strengthening cooperation in relevant fields, and provide support and help to other developing countries.”

“China is willing to carry out extensive scientific and technological innovation cooperation with all countries in the world, and actively participate in and promote global challenges such as climate change, epidemic prevention and public health,” said Xi.

After his arrival in China, Gates said he will visit his foundation’s partners who have been working on global health and development challenges for more than 15 years.

“Solving problems like climate change, health inequity and food insecurity requires innovation. From developing malaria drugs to investing in climate adaptation, China has a lot of experience in that. We need to unlock that kind of progress for more people around the world,” he said on Twitter.​​​​​​​