On June 29, 2015, President Xi Jinping met at the Great Hall of the People with delegation heads of various countries attending the signing ceremony of the Agreement on the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
On behalf of the Chinese government, Xi Jinping first extended warm congratulations on the signing of the AIIB agreement. He pointed out that China proposed to establish the AIIB with an aim to push infrastructure construction and connectivity, deepen regional cooperation and realize common development in Asia. The initiative has received positive responses from countries in the region and beyond. The signing of the AIIB agreement marks a historic step forward in establishing the AIIB, shows the solemn commitment of all parties to establishing the AIIB and embodies all parties' practical action featuring solidarity, cooperation, inclusiveness, openness and mutual development.
Xi Jinping stressed that today, all the member states, in the spirit of solidarity, cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, reached a high-quality AIIB agreement. As long as we continuously follow the spirit of multilateral cooperation, the AIIB can be surely built into a new platform featuring openness, inclusiveness, mutual benefit and win-win results with joint efforts, and positively contribute to infrastructure development in Asia.
Vice President and Head of Federal Department of Economic Affairs Johann Schneider-Ammann of the Swiss Confederation, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Bill English of New Zealand and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Kyung-hwan of the ROK delivered a speech successively. They expressed that they are pleased to see the rapid preparation and professional progress in establishing the AIIB. The infrastructure financing demand in Asia is obvious to all, therefore, China's initiative to establish the AIIB is very timely and important. The AIIB, along with the Belt and Road initiative also proposed by China, will greatly help address regional infrastructure bottlenecks and capital constraints and enhance regional trade connections and connectivity. In particular, the proposals would assist countries with weak infrastructure and boost development in Asia. It is believed that the AIIB will become an important member among international financial institutions for development. China has shown a strong and positive will as well as an open spirit in proposing and establishing the AIIB, which is admirable. The relevant member states will, in the spirit of cutting paths through the mountains and building bridges across the rivers, together ensure that the AIIB will become a practical and efficient member in the international financial institutions. It is believed that the AIIB will play an important leading role in the course of Asia's development.
Upon listening to the remarks of delegation heads of foreign countries, Xi Jinping noted that since China's reform and opening up, its economic and social development has benefited from the financial support of multilateral development banks such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank as well as other countries. China's development is inseparable from Asia and the world. As its comprehensive national strength grows, China is also willing to make its due contribution to world development, and will continue supporting the existing multilateral development banks. China also hopes to promote current institutions to better meet the requirement of their member countries and global economic system changes by establishing the AIIB. Asia's development in the 21st century will occupy a more prominent place in global development. China proposed AIIB and Belt and Road initiatives to solve practical issues of the region and seek for common development with other Asian countries while upholding a neighborhood diplomatic concept of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness. The AIIB will complement respective advantages with the current international financial institutions for development. China will work together with all the member states to forge the AIIB into a new type of multilateral development bank that is professional, efficient and clean thus jointly contribute to economic prosperity in Asia and the world at large.
State Councilor Yang Jiechi attended the meeting.