(21 Sep 2012) Chinese Vice President and leader-in-waiting Xi Jinping greeted neighbouring Asian leaders on Friday, on the sidelines of the 9th China-ASEAN Expo in the southern Chinese city of Nanning, Guangxi province.
In the afternoon, Xi met with the President of Myanmar, Thein Sein, and with the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tan Sri Muhyiddin bin Yassin.
"China and Myanmar relations developed very well," Xi told Thein Sein.
"We have highly frequent visit exchanges from senior leaders. That is an advantage to be able to promote mutual trust and also for the healthy development of future relations," he said.
Earlier in the day, during the opening remarks of the forum, Xi said that China wants to resolve territorial and maritime disputes with regional neighbours peacefully and through engaging in dialogue.
In stark contrast with China's recent angry statements and violent street protests targeting Japan over an island dispute, Xi emphasised economic ties and civic exchanges in remarks to delegates from the 10 countries that make up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Xi avoided mentioning South China Sea territorial disputes with the Philippines, Vietnam and others that have flared up again this year.
The contrasting approaches highlight Beijing's desire to keep the territorial disputes in check and avoid drawing in chief rival the U.S., which maintains close ties with many countries in the region.
While eager to assert its claims, Beijing needs a peaceful regional environment to achieve its development goals and has a limited capacity to handle multiple diplomatic crises simultaneously.
In early September, Xi's failure to attend a series of meetings with visiting foreign officials fuelled speculation over his health and the future of the leadership in the world's second largest economy.
He resurfaced on September 15th, during a visit to Beijing's China Agricultural University, and has since then met visiting US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta.
The government provided no explanation, fuelling rumours of a leadership crisis in the second largest economy in the world ahead of a delicate handover of power.
Xi is tipped to be named as Hu's successor as head of the Communist Party this autumn and take over the top post as President in spring.
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