China， ASEAN Build Higher-Level Strategic Partnership

After a meeting with his counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations （ASEAN） in the Philippine capital Manila on August 6， Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi congratulated ASEAN on its 50th anniversary， and called for future actions to create a higher-level China-ASEAN strategic partnership and a closer community of common destiny. He outlined a sevenpoint proposal for future China-ASEAN cooperation.

1） Formulate a 2030 Vision for China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership. 2） Synergize the Belt and Road Initiative and the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity. 3） Designate 2018 as the China-ASEAN Year of Innovation. 4） Accelerate the planned upgrade of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area. 5） Fully implement the China-ASEAN Joint Statement on Production Capacity Cooperation. 6） Ensure the success of the China-ASEAN Tourism Cooperation Year and issue a joint statement on tourism cooperation. 7） Expedite negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

Before the meeting， foreign ministers also signed the amended version of the Memorandum of Understanding on Establishing the China-ASEAN Center.

BRICS Meeting for Security Issues Held in Beijing

The Seventh Meeting of BRICS High Representatives for Security Issues was held in Beijing on July 28. State Councilor Yang Jiechi chaired the meeting and South African Minister of State Security David Mahlobo， Minister Sergio Etchegoyen of the Office of Institutional Security of the Presidency of Brazil， Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev of the Russian Federation， and Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval were present at the meeting.

Yang Jiechi noted that over the past decade， with the joint efforts of various parties， the BRICS cooperation mechanism for political security has become increasingly mature， and has made significant achievements. BRICS members should take the forging of a community of common interests and a shared future as its goal， and push forward practical cooperation in various fields. They should also strengthen policy coordination over major international and regional hotspot issues， jointly safeguard the international order based on the UN Charter， and constantly improve global governance， making a greater contribution to building a community of a shared future for mankind.

All parties agreed to continue to push forward the BRICS cooperation in political security， strengthen communication and cooperation in anti-terrorism， cyber security， energy security and other fields， exert the influence of meetings and consultation mechanisms at all levels， and promote the security and development of member states.endprint

Chinese Firm to Build Massive Hydropower Plant in Angola

Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos presided over the groundbreaking ceremony of the Caculo Cabaca Hydropower Project in Dondo， Angola， on August 4. Located in North Kwanza Province， the hydropower plant will be built by China Gezhouba Group Co.， Ltd （CGGC）.

According to Ren Jianguo， deputy general manager of CGGC， the project has a total contractual value of US $4.53 billion and will be completed over 80 months. It is expected that the project will generate nearly 10，000 jobs for local people. The project will be the largest hydropower station constructed by a Chinese company in Africa， Ren said， adding that upon completion， the plant is expected to meet more than 50 percent of the countrys electricity needs.

In his address at the opening ceremony， Angolan Minister of Energy and Water Resources Joao Baptista Borges said the project， the largest of its kind to be built in the country， was crucial for the future economic development of Angola.

Cui Aimin， Chinese ambassador to Angola， said that China was Angolas largest trading partner while Angola was Chinas second largest trading partner in Africa. To date， Angola is one of the countries in Africa with the most extensive cooperation with China in investment and financing as well as infrastructure construction.

Making Desert Green Again

The Sixth Kubuqi International Desert Forum convened in Ordos， Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region， on July 29. It was attended by over 250 delegates from 35 countries， including former heads of state， senior government officials， representatives of organizations， business leaders， and scholars.

Successful efforts to reforest the once-barren Kubuqi Desert in northern China have boosted regional growth and provided a model for other nations to follow， especially those involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. The total area of greenery in the desert has expanded by more than 6，000 sq km in the past three decades.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a congratulatory message that the greening project carried out in the Kubuqi Desert had been a success， and that the forum provided an important platform for countries to share experience in reversing desertification.

Vice Premier Ma Kai said， in his opening address at the forum， that China has made great progress in the fight against desertification and is the first country to see a reduction in desert areas. The country will continue to innovate in terms of taxation， investment， and financing to control desertification， and will involve more parties in its greening efforts.endprint