Chinese vice premier meets foreign leaders attending Boao forum

Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang met with foreign leaders who are in China for the ongoing Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2025 in Boao, south China's Hainan Province, on Wednesday.

Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, had a meeting with Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone. Ding said China is willing to work with Laos in supporting each other's core interests and advancing practical cooperation across various fields. For his part, Sonexay reaffirmed that Laos would make continuous efforts to make new progress in developing Laos-China community with a shared future.

In a meeting with Kazakhstan's First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar, Ding called for joint efforts to translate the outcomes of the recent 12th Meeting of the China-Kazakhstan Cooperation Committee into real actions. Sklyar said Kazakhstan is ready to work closely with China to elevate bilateral ties to a new high. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of China-Indonesia diplomatic relations. While speaking with Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Regional Infrastructure and Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, Ding said the two sides should enhance strategic synergy and strive for new breakthroughs in practical cooperation. Agus said Indonesia is committed to deepening and expanding cooperation with China in various sectors and further advancing the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

When meeting with Portugal's Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Paulo Rangel, Ding said China is dedicated to mutual respect and trust with Portugal and is ready to expand mutually beneficial cooperation and deepen opening up and exchanges between the two sides.

Rangel said Portugal thinks highly of Macao's prosperity and steady development since it returned to China, pledging efforts to further deepen practical cooperation with China.

Founded in 2001, the BFA is a non-governmental and non-profit international organization committed to promoting regional economic integration and bringing Asian countries closer to their development goals. Running from Tuesday to Friday, this year's conference is themed "Asia in the Changing World: Towards a Shared Future."

Leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Norway and the Netherlands on Friday warned Israel against further settlement expansion in the West Bank, saying such moves undermine stability and prospects for a two-state solution.

In a joint statement published by the British Prime Minister's Office, the leaders said the situation in the West Bank had "deteriorated significantly," with settler violence at "unprecedented levels."

They said Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law, adding that construction in the E1 area would divide the West Bank in two and mark a serious breach of international law.

The leaders urged businesses not to bid for construction tenders for E1 or other settlement developments, citing legal and reputation risks.

The statement reaffirmed support for a negotiated two-state solution, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security.