Xi expected to support AIIB in financing recovery

President Xi Jinping chairs the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against COVID-19 and delivers a keynote speech at the summit in Beijing, capital of China, June 17, 2020. President Xi Jinping is set to address a key meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank on Tuesday at which analysts said he may unveil more policies to support the bank as it helps fund regional and global economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. A key message Xi may deliver, analysts said, is that China, as the world's first major economy that has shown a robust recovery from the downturn caused by COVID-19, will assume more responsibility in fueling regional and global economic recovery. "The AIIB has become an important strength in promoting regional economic recovery, and China's offering of more support policies to the bank will bolster the momentum in this regard," said Xu Xiujun, a researcher of international political economy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the author of a book about the AIIB. Wei Jianguo, vice-chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges and former vice-minister of commerce, said Xi's participation at the opening ceremony shows the leadership's recognition of AIIB's achievements over five years.