On April 5, 2013, President Xi Jinping held talks with Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah at the Great Hall of the People. The two heads of state made positive comments on the development of bilateral ties and agreed to upgrade their ties into a strategic and cooperative relationship.
Prior to the talks, Xi held a grand welcome ceremony for Hassanal at the Square outside the East Gate of the Great Hall of the People.
Spring is in the air in Tiananmen Square. As Hassanal arrived by car, President Xi shook hands and exchanged greetings with him. Xi introduced to the guest the Chinese accompanying officials, while Hassanal introduced to Xi his entourage. Later, the two heads of state mounted to the inspection platform and the military band played the national anthems of the two countries and fired 21 gun salutes. Hassanal, accompanied by Xi, inspected the guard of honor of the three services of PLA. The two heads of state afterwards returned to the inspection platform to watch the march-past.
The talks started following the welcome ceremony. Xi said despite the differences in national conditions and systems, China and Brunei have established relations featuring mutual respect and equality as a regional model for small and big nations to harmoniously coexist and harvest mutual benefits and common prosperity. Both sides agreed to upgrade their ties into a strategic and cooperative relationship, which will boost bilateral cooperation and play an exemplary and leading role in the region, Xi said.
He stressed the two nations should bear in mind the overall development of bilateral ties, pay sufficient attention to each other's key concerns and comfort level and honor their independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity as well as the development paths chosen to fit their domestic situation. He urged both sides to draw on each other's strengths and complement each other. "China encourages its companies to actively involve themselves into Brunei's infrastructure and agriculture development, supports Brunei's economic diversity and looks for further progress on bilateral cooperation in the oil and gas, petrochemical and renewable energy sectors," Xi told Hassanal. The two sides should strengthen people-to-people exchanges, increase the number of exchange students and promote the contacts between their artistic groups as well as medical and health institutions.
The Chinese president also highlighted the country's foreign policy of treating neighbors well and as partners, saying that China actively develops good-neighborly and friendly relations with its neighbors so that its development will better benefit neighboring countries. "Our will is sincere and it is also what we are doing," said Xi. He called for resolving disputes via direct friendly dialogue and consultation between the involved sovereign states. Before the resolution of the disputes, China is ready to work with the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to enhance dialogue and communication and jointly safeguard the peace and stability of the South China Sea. China will work actively with Brunei, who chairs the ASEAN in 2013, to firmly grasp the general direction of the China-ASEAN relations, focus on the theme of peace and cooperation and eliminate any possibilities that might undermine friendly cooperation with ASEAN, Xi noted. China will continue to back ASEAN's leading role on East Asia affairs, he added.
Hassanal said that Brunei and China have a long history of exchanges and bilateral relations have developed very well with fruitful cooperation in various fields. China is satisfied with these achievements. He spoke highly of the great achievements made by China in its national development, expressing the belief that China will make greater contributions to maintaining international and regional peace and prosperity by realizing the Chinese dream of great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Brunei hopes to continue to maintain high-level exchanges with China, strengthen cooperation in the fields of energy, infrastructure, agriculture and fisheries, actively promote oil, gas and petrochemical projects and encourage the two countries to carry out cultural exchanges so as to push bilateral relations to a new level.
Hassanal acknowledged China's development as a major contributor to boost regional development and prosperity, adding that ASEAN countries thank for China's support. Brunei believes the ASEAN-China ties will continue to grow and involved parties should seek for peaceful resolutions to disputes concerning the South China Sea via dialogue and consultation based on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties, Hassanal said. Efforts should be made to prevent the South China Sea issue from affecting ASEAN-China friendly cooperative relations. He also pledged an active role that Brunei will play to nurture ties between the ASEAN and China.
Following the talks, both sides issued a joint statement between the two countries.
Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Chen Changzhi, State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Wang Qinmin attended the welcome ceremony.