BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday praised developing countries for the resolve to seek “strength through unity” but criticised in strong words “some countries” for building “a small yard with high fences”, the third day in a row he appeared to disapprove of US-led western alliances.
“Some countries have politicised and marginalised the development issue, built ‘a small yard with high fences’, imposed maximum sanctions, and stoked division and confrontation,” Xi said in his speech, delivered virtually, at the High-level Dialogue on Global Development on Friday.
Besides the leaders of the Brics countries, China had invited leaders of 13 countries for the event, seen to be Beijing’s push to expand the five-member bloc. It was a mix of countries: Algeria, Argentina, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Senegal, Uzbekistan, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Malaysia and Thailand.
Calling for an “enabling international environment for development”, Xi warned that “protectionist moves will boomerang; anyone attempting to form exclusive blocs will end up isolating himself; maximum sanctions serve nobody’s interest, and practices of decoupling and supply disruption are neither feasible nor sustainable”.
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