China-backed investment bank welcomes all countries: Xi

Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia on March 28, 2015. [Photo by Huang Yiming / chinadaily.com.cn]

China stands ready to sign friendship treaty with all neighbors

The country stands ready to sign treaties of good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation with all its neighbors to provide strong support for the development of bilateral relations as well as prosperity and stability in the region, Xi said.

China has signed such treaties with eight of its neighbors and is holding discussion to sign the same treaty with ASEAN, said Xi while delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference held in the country's southern island of Hainan.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Saturday the vision and action paper of China-proposed "Belt and Road" initiative has been developed thanks to the concerted efforts of relevant parties.

Substantive progress has been made in the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), said Xi while delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia conference held in the country's southern island of Hainan.Xi proposes dialogue conference among Asian civilizations

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday proposed a conference of dialogue among Asian civilizations to be held with an aim to boost regional cooperation and development.

The president made the proposal when addressing the opening ceremony of the 2015 annual conference of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) in the coastal town of China's southernmost island province of Hainan.

The president said that the conference will provide a platform to enhance interactions among the youth, people's groups, local communities and the media and to form a network of think-tank cooperation, so as to add to Asian people's rich cultural life and contribute to more vibrant regional cooperation and development.

The following are some of the highlights from Xi's speech:

-- Xi pays tribute to Mr Lee Kuan Yew, says Lee is a strategist and statesman respected worldwide Chinese President Xi Jinping expresses condolences for victims of Germanwings crash.

-- China-proposed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank welcomes all countries.

-- The Chinese economy is highly resilient and has much potential, which gives enough room to leverage a host of policy tools.

-- China will work to promote a new type of international relations of win-win cooperation and will always remain a staunch force for world peace and common development.

-- The Cold War mentality should be discarded and new security concepts be nurtured as Asia explores a path to ensure security.

-- 2015 is an important year to be commemorated and a historic juncture to reflect on the past and look to the future.

-- China will vigorously promote a system of regional financial cooperation, and explore a platform for exchanges and cooperation among Asian financial institutions.

-- The vision and action paper of China-proposed "Belt and Road" initiative has been developed thanks to the concerted efforts of relevant parties.

-- China stands ready to sign treaties of good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation with all its neighbors to provide strong support for the development of bilateral relations as well as prosperity and stability in the region.