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Exceptionally significant 2021: Xi's 'cloud diplomacy' enhances communication and cooperation
Updated 23:00, 03-Jan-2022
CGTN
01:26

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese President Xi Jinping continued to maintain close communication with leaders from other countries and heads of multiple international organizations in 2021 through "cloud diplomacy."

In 2021, President Xi had 79 telephone calls with leaders of foreign countries and international organizations, attended 40 major diplomatic events via video links, delivered speeches and sent correspondences and messages totaling at least 100 via video links, according to a China Media Group documentary titled "Exceptionally significant 2021" broadcast on Sunday.

"President Xi has stepped up strategic communication with foreign leaders to build consensus and promote cooperation across the globe, thus drawing up the grand blueprint and forming strong synergy for building a community with a shared future for mankind," said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in an interview with China Media Group and Xinhua News Agency on December 30, 2021.

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On December 15, 2021, Xi held a virtual meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During their second video meeting in the year, both leaders looked forward to a meeting in person during the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics.

"I look forward to having deepened communication with you over bilateral relations and major international and regional issues. I believe we will reach more agreements of essence," Xi said.

Read more:

Xi looks forward to meeting Putin at Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics

Respectively in April and July, Xi held two video summits with French President Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel, who was German chancellor at that time. The three leaders not only reached consensus on win-win cooperation in climate governance, but also agreed to expand consensus and cooperation between China and the European Union.

Xi hosted the summit of China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) and delivered a speech titled "Keeping up the Momentum and Working Together for A New Chapter in China-CEEC Cooperation" on February 9.

On November 29, the president delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation via video link. "China will work together with African friends to promote and carry forward the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation from generation to generation," said Xi.

Besides bringing the virus under control domestically, China has in the past year continued to help other countries in the fight against COVID-19. By the end of 2021, China had provided more than two billion doses of COVID vaccines to over 120 countries and international organizations.

Acknowledging China has fulfilled Xi's promise of making COVID-19 vaccines a global public good, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said: "China has become the biggest provider of outbound vaccines among all countries. One out of every two COVID vaccines administered across the globe is made in China."

Deepening friendship and enhancing cooperation with other countries, Wang said Xi's "cloud diplomacy" enabled China to build a more comprehensive and solid global partnership network. 

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