2020年CRI High expectations on Xi's state visit to Brunei

 

Authorities in Brunei are said to be holding out high expectations for this Sunday's visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"In terms of our bilateral¹ relationship, it will enhance our relations into another height by the visit of the President (Xi) on Sunday and Monday," says Brunei's Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Aminuddin Ihsan bin² Abidin, one of numerous officials and observers in Brunei who are keeping close tabs on Xi Jinping's visit to the Sultanate this Sunday.

Brunei's former ambassador to China, Magdalene Teo, says she expects the visit should help the two countries expand cooperation through the Belt and Road framework.

"I'm longing³ for President Xi's visit. When I used to be the ambassador, I once welcomed visiting Premier⁴ Li Keqiang. I feel happy to see that President Xi will visit Brunei. I hope the visit will deepen our bilateral cooperation and friendship. Brunei supports the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by President Xi, and we hope that there will be more cooperation between the two sides under the Belt and Road," says Teo.

Lim Tiong Han, the President of the Chinese Chamber⁵ of Commerce in Brunei's capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, says this Sunday's visit by Xi Jinping should go a long way toward supporting Chinese interests in Brunei.

"Although Brunei is small in size, the visit by a Chinese leader can significantly help the country's reputation grow. The international community will also pay attention to Brunei, and they might want to know why President Xi pays the state visit to the country. That will bring both Brunei's government and the people an important opportunity to communicate with the rest of the world," says Lim.

China and Brunei established diplomatic ties in 1991, and the two sides agreed to enter into a strategic cooperative relationship in 2013.

China is Brunei's largest source of imports, and a growing number of Chinese companies are also investing and developing business in Brunei.

China's biggest joint⁶ venture in the Sultanate, the Hengyi petro-chemical plant, is currently under construction, and is set to go into operation next year.

Beyond business ties, the two sides have also been active in promoting cultural links.

Brunei citizens have been allowed to visit China visa-free since 2003, while Chinese airlines have also been expanding their flight schedules to accommodate more trips in and out of Brunei in recent years.

1 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

2 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

3 longing   

n.（for）渴望

参考例句：

• Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
• His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。

4 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

5 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

6 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。