Xi Jinping

Chinese president Xi Jinping told his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump that there have been “positive changes” on the Korean peninsula, state media said Jan. 16 following a phone call between the two leaders.

This is according to Gallup International Association's "Global Leaders End of Year" survey.

Respondents - 53,769 persons from 55 countries - were asked to rank 12 global leaders.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron oversaw the signing on Jan. 9 of business deals worth billions of dollars, seeking better trade ties even as France’s finance minister boasted of rejecting those investments he likened to “pillaging.”

Emmanuel Macron said China and Europe should work together on Beijing's One Belt - One Time initiative. The aim is to build a modern "silk road", but it can not be "one-way" according to the French president, Reuters reported.

President Xi Jinping has issued a blunt call for China’s military to be ready for war and unafraid to die defending the country, as geopolitical tensions mount in Asia.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called on the military to be ready for war and not to be afraid of death in defending the state.

Xi told the troops gathered in the Hebei province "to always be ready to fight and sure to win," and that they should fear neither hardship nor death."

According to the Guardian, the move was designed to "further strengthen his political position." The British newspaper also said that the Chinese president "reaffirmed his status as China's most dominant leader since Chairman Mao."

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met early Monday with HBIS Group President Yu Yong to discuss the operations of the Smederevo steel mill and its plans for next year.

Vucic expressed deep gratitude to Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Chinese people and Yu for keeping the Smederevo steel mill running and for its successful operations today.

The inclusion is evidence that China hinges its future development on intensifying cooperation which will endure beyond Xi's tenure. In his speech at the congress, President Xi explained the importance of adopting policies to promote high level economic liberalisation and the facilitation of trade and investment:

BELGRADE - Serbia is China's first comprehensive partner in Central and Eastern Europe and a significant partner in building the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Li Manchang said in the wake of the 16+1 summit in Budapest.