Asian infrastructure bank complements existing arrangements
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E-mail Xinhua, October 31, 2014
The new Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) complements existing arrangements in infrastructure development in the region, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Friday.
Hong Lei made the comment when asked why Australia was not among the 21 founding members of the bank.
Twenty-one Asian countries last week signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on establishing the AIIB. They include China, India, Kuwait, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Qatar, Singapore and Vietnam.
"China is keeping in touch with the Republic of Korea, Indonesia and the United States and would welcome their participation in an open and inclusive multilateral platform for infrastructure funding," Hong said.
China's proposals for a Silk Road economic belt and the 21st Century maritime Silk Road and the AIIB shows the country is willing to shoulder more responsibilities and its win-win approach with it neighbors, Hong said.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Friday that his government was engaged in discussions with China about the bank despite not signing the MOU last week.
Australian Ambassador to China Frances J. Adamson told reporters in Beijing that her country welcomed China's role in the region through the realization of the proposal to establish the regional bank.
"The strongest points of the alignment in the G20 and APEC policy agenda in 2014 has been the area of infrastructure development," she said at a briefing in the embassy.
Within APEC, members are promoting best practices on building private-public partnership. For its part, the G20 is advancing a global infrastructure initiative to help drive quality infrastructure investment across the globe, the ambassador said.
China will host the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting on Nov. 10 and 11 in Beijing while Australia will host the G20 summit in Brisbane on Nov. 15-16. Endi
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