Chinese President Xi Jinping plays a unique and much-needed role in promoting global solidarity to solve the pressing issues facing humanity, said Colombian President Gustavo Petro in Beijing on Wednesday.
Petro praised Xi for actively fostering cooperation and bolstering relations between China and like-minded countries, during an exclusive interview with China Media Group (CMG) after his meeting with the Chinese president at the Great Hall of the People on Wednesday morning.
The Colombian leader was in Beijing to attend the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum, which was held on Tuesday, and a top priority of his visit was to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with China.
The leadership meeting yielded a major achievement when the two countries signed a cooperation plan on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), marking the South American country's formal accession to the China-proposed strategy for promoting global development.
The Colombian foreign ministry, in a social media post, hailed the move as a historic step, saying it will bring new opportunities for investment, technological cooperation and sustainable development for both Colombia and China.
Speaking with CMG, Petro recalled his past exchanges with President Xi who he said deeply impressed him, as he found in Xi a distinctive leadership style with a far-sighted global vision.
"I met President Xi twice and had exchanges with him on the occasion of different multilateral conferences. In President Xi, I always feel a unique vibe. Today, we have reached a tipping point [in history] where exceedingly superb wisdom is required from us to cope with; it indicates that the human society is entering a new stage where no country can make itself immune from the impact alone. Take greenhouse gas emissions as an example, no country can single-handedly solve the climate crisis. The inaction of countries whose interests are deeply entangled with fossil fuel energy such as oil and coal is like a metaphorical countdown dragging us into an irreversible crisis," he said.
During a time like this, Petro said, President Xi's continued efforts to rally like-minded countries to solve global issues for humanity are even more important.
Colombian president praises Xi's vision of global development
Colombian president praises Xi's vision of global development
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
