Xi can contribute to long-lasting peace of world: Serbian president

Chinese President Xi Jinping is "one of the very rare people" who can really contribute to establishing a long lasting peace in the world, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said in an interview prior to Xi's upcoming state visit to Serbia.

China has been playing an increasingly important role in international affairs. Last year, it mediated an agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore diplomatic ties after years of open hostility. It also stepped up diplomatic efforts to rein in the conflict between Iran and Israel after the two sides exchanged attacks last month, preventing it from escalating into a broader regional conflict.

In the exclusive interview with China Central Television (CCTV) in Belgrade on Tuesday, Vucic hailed Xi's leadership and urged others to listen more to the Chinese president. "They [the rest of the world] all put many hopes in President Xi's initiatives in bringing peace to today's world, to tell you the truth, and I know it quite well because I speak to everybody. President Xi is a president, is a person [who is] one of the very rare people in the world who can really contribute to finishing some wars and establishing a long-lasting peace. And I urge all the others to listen more to President Xi's words, and to do some concessions in order to make some compromises, because our common denominator and interest for everything is, in the end, calm, peace and tranquility," said Vucic.

Xi will pay a state visit to France, Serbia and Hungary from May 5 to 10, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday.

Xi can contribute to long-lasting peace of world: Serbian president

President of the International Boxing Association (IBA) Umar Kremlev on Thursday highlighted the role of sports, saying it is of the most powerful ways to unite mankind.

In an interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN) in Beijing, Kremliev, one member of the Russian delegation led by Russian President Vladimir Putin which is now on a visit to China, shared his view on the current relationship between Russia and China, and stressed the power of sports to bring discipline and health.

"Today is not just the arrival of our official delegation, but also a festival where the peoples of two brotherly countries gather. The leaders of the two countries are meeting here. Russia and China are showing to all countries that there is a need to unite, to have traditional family values and to maintain human values. Sports is one of the most powerful ways to unite mankind. Every country is striving to establish a healthy nation and hopes that its people will have discipline and order. Sport can bring exactly that - discipline and health, it is the foundation for every country," said Kremlev.

IBA president sees sports as one of most powerful ways to unite mankind