Graphics: President Xi's five overseas visits in 2019

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Europe

In the first half of 2019, Chinese President Xi Jinping made five overseas visits that encompassed eight countries to forge broader consensus and closer partnership for jointly building a community with a shared future for mankind.

1. Europe

Following his visits to Spain and Portugal in late 2018, Xi came to Europe again in his first overseas trip this year, manifesting the great importance China attaches to Europe.

In six days, the Chinese president attended over 40 events.

In Rome, China and Italy signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), making Italy the first G7 nation to officially join the BRI.

Xi's first overseas visit in 2019 has elevated China's ties with Italy, Monaco and France to a new level, and injected new impetus into China-Europe comprehensive strategic partnership, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said.

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2. Russia

Xi's state visit to Russia in early June came as the two countries are embracing the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic ties.

The Chinese leader and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin upgraded bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era.

Xi noted that China-Russia ties have become a major-country relationship featuring the highest degree of mutual trust, the highest level of coordination and the highest strategic value, thus making key contributions to world peace, stability, and development.

He also proposed all-round energy cooperation between the two countries.

At the the 23rd St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Xi highlighted sustainable development as the "golden key" to solve global problems, and the best entry point to cooperation for shared interests worldwide.

3. Central Asia

Xi's visits to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan opened a new chapter for building a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind, according to Wang Yi.

During the five-day trip, Xi also attended the 19th summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Bishkek and the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Dushanbe.

Xi called for efforts to strengthen solidarity and cooperation among SCO member states and build a closer SCO community with a shared future in Bishkek, and stressed that building a secure and stable Asia is the common objective in Dushanbe.

It was a visit of cementing good neighbourliness and friendship, of jointly building the Belt and Road, of promoting the Shanghai Spirit, and of guiding Asian countries' cooperation.

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4. DPRK

Several days after his Central Asia tour, President Xi, also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, arrived in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for a state visit.

The visit, the first of its kind in 14 years, also coincides with the 70th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the two countries.

In his talks with the DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Un, Xi noted that the China-DPRK relationship has entered a new historical era. He stressed that the friendship will not change through time, vowing to further protect, consolidate and develop bilateral relations.

He also reaffirmed China's support for efforts to advance the political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue and build up conditions for such a settlement.

5. Japan

Xi's three-day visit to Japan expanded consensus on the promotion of multilateralism and provided direction for both the G20 cooperation and global growth.

China will further open up its market, proactively expand imports, continuously improve its business environment for foreign enterprises, and press ahead with various trade agreement negotiations toward a high-quality world economy, the Chinese President said at the 14th G20 summit in Osaka.

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On the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Osaka, Xi met with his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, spurring optimism and lifting global markets.

China and the United States have highly integrated interests and extensive cooperation areas, and they should not fall into the so-called traps of conflict and confrontation, Xi stressed.

Meanwhile, Xi met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with the two sides reaching a 10-point consensus to promote the development of bilateral relations.

While protectionism and fierce global competition for resources have diverted some economies' attention from making a bigger cake to wrestling for a larger slice, the Chinese president staunchly advocates common efforts to create more shared interests.

(With inputs from Xinhua)