Whistle-stop: President Xi’s 24 hours in Lausanne and Geneva

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Chinese President Xi Jinping rushed off to Lausanne and Geneva to visit international organizations as soon as he finished a luncheon on Tuesday in Davos with Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum.

Xi visited the International Olympic Committee (IOC) headquarters in Lausanne first. During his stay in Geneva, he also paid a visit to World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) office respectively. He visited the three international agencies in just 24 hours.

Xi’s visit to IOC in Lausanne

Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) and International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach pose in front of a photo of Bach during a visit to the International Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, on January 18, 2017. /Xinhua Photo‍

Before heading to Geneva, President Xi pledged to make Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games a green, open-minded and corruption-free event during a meeting with IOC President Thomas Bach in Lausanne on Wednesday.

Xi said hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics will facilitate China’s competitive and mass sports, so as to improve the health of all Chinese people. He added that the Games will boost the economic growth of China and other Belt and Road countries as well as enhance regional peace and stability.

Xi’s visit was welcomed by Bach who showed confidence in China’s reform and development in areas of politics, economy, culture and sports. In company with Bach, Xi took a tour at the International Olympic Museum and watched various Olympic-related exhibitions.

Xi’s visit to WHO in Geneva

Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd L) meets with World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Margaret Chan (2nd R) in Geneva, Switzerland, on January 18, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

President Xi then traveled to Geneva, where he welcomed the WHO’s active participation in the construction of a “healthy” Silk Road in a meeting with WHO Director-General Margaret Chan at the WHO headquarters on Wednesday.

He then witnessed a signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative between the two sides.

Xi’s call was echoed by Chan saying that the WHO is willing to enhance cooperation with China under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, amid efforts to improve public health in the Belt and Road countries.

Xi’s visit to UN in Geneva

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Peter Thomson, president of the 71st session of United Nations General Assembly, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Geneva, Switzerland, on January 18, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

President Xi urged UN to play a central role in global governance while meeting with Peter Thomson, president of the 71st UN General Assembly, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the Palace of Nations in Geneva on Wednesday.

Xi delivered a speech at the UN office to expound on China’s role in the world economic development and back up the path of multilateralism in the face of various global threats and challenges, such as the refugee crisis, protectionism, terrorism and nuclear weapons.

Xi’s statement was noted by Thomson and Guterres as reaffirmation of his Davos speech Tuesday and as a key guarantor for the UN and the multilateral enterprise.

(With inputs from Xinhua)