01:32

Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed China's willingness to further align its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with Brunei's Wawasan 2035, a strategy for economic diversification, and prioritize the implementation of key cooperative projects between the two countries.

The Chinese president made the remarks during his meeting with Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah in Beijing on Friday, as the latter is here for the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation scheduled for April 25 to 27.

The Chinese president proposed to build the Brunei-Guangxi Economic Corridor into an example for both the cooperation between China and the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area, and the development of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor.

He also called for further collaboration and exchange between the two sides in various fields such as trade and investment, agriculture and fishery, and digital economy.

Calling for strengthened cultural and people-to-people exchange, President Xi announced the year 2020 to be the China-Brunei Year of Tourism.

He also encouraged the alignment between the BRI and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to boost regional connectivity and development.

The Brunei sultan praised President Xi's speech at the opening ceremony of the BRF, saying it had pointed out the direction for the development of the Asia Pacific region and the whole world.

He echoed Xi's proposal of aligning the BRI with Brunei's Wawasan 2035, noting that Brunei is ready to expand cooperation on all fronts.

The monarch also said the ASEAN countries are willing to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea area together with China.