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Chinese President addresses trade and international cooperation at UN in Geneva

20 Jan 2017

Chinese President, Xi Jinping, addressed the UN and the World Economic Forum during a four day visit to Switzerland – the first by a Chinese head of state in the 21st century.

Referencing China's support for the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative for international cooperation, he pledged to safeguard UN charters and related principles, which promote trade, peace and common development.

China’s commitment to increase trade is evidenced by its adoption of TIR – the global standard for international freight customs transit. The TIR system, in particular, underpins OBOR, aiming to boost trade and cooperation along ancient Silk Road routes.

Present at the UN event, IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto, was asked by Chinese media to comment,
“President Xi has demonstrated a commitment to promoting common and interconnected development, through the One Belt One Road initiative, which aims to achieve win-win outcomes for international trade.”

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During the event, President Xi confronted rising protectionism, stressing instead the importance of developing a dynamic innovation-driven and inclusive growth model.

The OBOR project to advance transport infrastructure and establish trade networks, will connect Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient trade routes. Regions along these routes account for 63 percent of the global population and about 40 percent of the global economy. The latest plans include improvements to customs clearance efficiency which will be achieved through the TIR system.