Openning up new situation for International Cooperation of the “Belt and Road”

The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) will be held in Beijing from May 14 to 15. Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony and chair the leaders’ roundtable. At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, 28 heads of state and government have confirmed to attend the forum.

This forum has been the highest level of international conference held by China since under the major initiative of the “Belt and Road” put forward by President Xi Jinping in 2013, gaining wide support from the international community. The theme of the forum is “Strengthening International Cooperation and Co-building the ‘Belt and Road’ for Win-win Development”. The main events of the forum include an opening ceremony, a leaders’ roundtable summit and a high-level conference. At present, there are officials, scholars, entrepreneurs and people from financial institutions and media from 110 countries, and 89 principals and representatives from 61 international organizations also affirming their attendance. Over 1200 representatives will attend the forum.

This forum will focus on achieving outcomes in four aspects. Firstly, pool more consensus. Documents will be issued on leaders’ roundtable summit to further identify goals and principles for cooperation, and deepen the implementation of docking strategies. In the meantime, taking this forum as an opportunity, all parties will expand cooperation consensus, identify cooperation goals and specify cooperation measures. It is expected that China will negotiate and sign cooperation documents with nearly 20 countries and over 20 international organizations. Secondly, identify cooperation directions. All parties will negotiate and determine important bilateral and multi-lateral cooperation fields for the next stage, draw up cooperation plans for the next 5 years or longer, and specify the detailed action plans. It is estimated that relevant Chinese departments will work with their counterparts of relevant countries to formulate nearly 20 action plans. Thirdly, push forward the implementation of projects. Each side will further clear and align key cooperation projects, lay down project list of all fields, ensure the implementation of all projects, transform leaders’ political consensus into execution for specific projects and translate the consensus into the practice of improving the basic necessities of life of common people and into the development focus of all countries. Fourthly, improve supporting system. China will discuss with all sides to introduce a series of significant policies and measures including completing and strengthening financial cooperation mechanism, constructing comprehensive service platforms in science, technology, and environmental protection as well as other fields and enhancing exchange and training of professional talents of every domain. Relevant institutions of China are discussing to introduce more supportive measures.

At present, the foundation for global economic recovery is not solid, trade investment remains weak, and growth impetus is also unstable. There is an urgent need of upgrading fundamental infrastructure construction and connectivity among every country and every sub-region. Facing challenges, we need to pool ideas and talents to build new cooperation platforms, cultivate new growth impetus and explore new development path together. This common goal is just what the leaders of all countries and present representatives will strive for in Beijing this May.

China hopes to take this forum as an opportunity to create a more open and more efficient platform for international cooperation; to build a closer and stronger partnership network by following the principle of wide consultation, joint construction and shared benefits; to promote the construction of a more fair, reasonable and balanced global governance system under the concept that features openness and inclusiveness and win-win cooperation. China will maintain close communication and coordination with all present parties, ensure the complete success of the forum, push the forum for more fruitful outcomes, open up the new situation for international cooperation of the “Belt and Road” so as to elevate the “Belt and Road” construction to new highs.

(The author is the Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China)