Second China-Canada Prime Ministers’Annual Dialogue Held in Beijing

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada held the Second China-Canada Prime Ministers Annual Dialogue in Beijing on December 4.

Li fully affirmed the positive roles played by bilateral mechanisms. The two sides agreed to issue China-Canada Joint Statement on Climate Change and Clean Growth， and to establish two ministerial-level dialogues between respective departments of environment and clean energy.

Li pointed out that China stands ready， together with Canada， to expand cooperation in two-way trade and investment， and encourage enterprises of the two countries to， on the basis of their respective advantages， invest in each other and jointly explore third-party markets. Both sides will intensify people-to-people and cultural exchanges， and will hold China-Canada Year of Tourism in 2018. The two nations should also strengthen communication and coordination in international and regional affairs. He stressed that China is willing to make joint efforts with various countries including Canada to create development opportunities and share development outcomes.

Trudeau said that， as Canada and China enjoy great potential for exchanges and cooperation， the Canadian side stands ready， together with China， to maintain high-level exchanges， enhance economic and trade cooperation， and expand non-governmental exchanges， so as to continue bilateral friendship， achieve mutual benefit， and winwin results. Canada supports free trade and stands ready to work with China to intensify communication and coordination， and jointly advance globalization and free trade in a bid to make contributions to sustainable global development.

South-South Human Rights Forum Calls for Protection of Peoples Right to Development

The first South-South Human Rights Forum concluded in Beijing on December 8， calling for efforts to safeguard peoples right to development.

According to the Beijing Declaration issued at the forum， participants agreed that the right to subsistence and the right to development were basic human rights. The participants agreed in the declaration that Chinese President Xi Jinpings proposal to build a community with a shared future for humankind was “a major concept which conforms to the trend of the times， fits the requirements of development， and reflects the pursuit of new human social values.”

Xi sent a congratulatory letter to the forum， calling on the international community to respect and reflect the will of people in developing countries in human rights development. He said that human rights worldwide could not be achieved without the joint efforts of developing countries.endprint

China-Switzerland Year of Tourism Boosts Mutual Visits

The closing ceremony of the China-Switzerland Year of Tourism was held on December 7， 2017， in Lausanne of Switzerland. Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message on the occassion.

In his message， Xi said that taking the opportunity of the year of tourism， China and Switzerland held exchange activities and expanded personnel exchanges during the year， which enhanced mutual understanding between the two peoples and promoted bilateral communication and cooperation in such areas as culture， economy and trade， injecting fresh impetus to the development of ChinaSwitzerland relations.

Speaking at the ceremony， Li Jinzao， head of China National Tourism Administration， revealed that over the past year， both sides successfully held a series of activities related to tourism exchanges. During the first three quarters of 2017， there were over 1.2 million two-way visits between China and Switzerland， an increase of 12 percent compared with the same period of 2016. According to Li， China has become the fourth largest source of tourists for Switzerland and now there are about 40 flights linking China and Switzerland every week.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered a speech at the opening of the Symposium on International Developments and Chinas Diplomacy in 2017 on December 9.

“General Secretary Xi Jinping made it clear in his report to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China that China will endeavor to foster a new form of international relations and build a community with a shared future for humankind.

To foster a new form of international relations， we need to find a new approach to developing stateto-state relations with the core principles of mutual respect， fairness， justice， and win-win cooperation.

To build a community with a shared future for humankind， we need to come up with solutions to various global challenges. We will build a five-in-one world， namely a world of lasting peace， universal security， common prosperity， a world that is open， inclusive， and enjoys a wellpreserved ecology. This vision is inspired by the Fivesphere Integrated Plan for our domestic development， and it resonates well with the trend of human progress and the shared aspirations of all countries.”endprint