The fourth symposium on the Belt and Road Initiative was held in Beijing, where Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the need for comprehensively advancing high-quality cooperation. Concerned officials, experts and business leaders attended the event. CGTN spoke to some of them to know more about the highlights of the symposium, and the Belt and Road Initiative itself. Cao Chufeng has more.
Xing Guangcheng was one of the speakers at Monday’s symposium on Belt and Road construction work. As an expert in international relations, he thinks the Belt and Road Initiative, or BRI, is a measure that’s put forward by China to help the world work together to build a better future.
XING GUANGCHENG, Director, Institute of Chinese Borderland Studies “China’s achievements over more than 40 years of reform and opening up have been made possible with the help of a favorable international environment. After achieving remarkable success, we also hope to take on global responsibilities. Building a community with shared future for all mankind is the strategic goal we have proposed. It also requires a framework for implementation, and that is the Belt and Road Initiative.”
Timmy Feng, a successful businessman in providing cross-border trade and logistics solutions, was another speaker. He thinks the BRI is about creating win-win situations.
TIMMY FENG, Chairman, YXE Trading Services Group “I believe its greatest role is that, within this framework, we have stronger reasons to engage in better and fairer exchanges with our trade partners. As General Secretary Xi mentioned yesterday, what we seek is win-win, not just China winning, but our partner countries winning as well.”
So far, China has signed BRI cooperation documents with over 150 countries and 30 international organizations. Direct investments by Chinese companies in these countries exceed 330 billion U.S. dollars. During the symposium, President Xi outlined the future development for BRI, which he said should pursue a high-standard, people-centered and sustainable cooperation. And some of his words also resonate with the two participants.
XING GUANGCHENG, Director, Institute of Chinese Borderland Studies “Our international environment has entered a new period of turbulence, and in the process of jointly building the BRI, challenges have undoubtedly increased. But the general secretary has assessed that opportunities outweigh challenges. Therefore, we must stick to the blueprint, and work consistently to advance the initiative.”
TIMMY FENG, Chairman, YXE Trading Services Group “In accordance with the spirit of the general secretary’s message yesterday, we will become more active. In the past 11 years, our focus has been on problem-solving, but in the future, as my enterprise participates in the Belt and Road construction, we may make some business upgrades in partner countries.”
CAO CHUFENG, Beijing “It’s been eleven years since the Belt and Road Initiative was announced. Chinese President Xi Jinping and participants at the meeting believe the BRI so far has been very successful. But there is still room for upgrades in the future – and while challenges persist, there will be even more opportunities. Cao Chufeng, CGTN, Beijing.”
Source: CGTN