High-quality Belt and Road cooperation: Together for common development and prosperity |13 November 2023
Chinese President Xi Jinping
The Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) was held in Beijing on October 17 and 18, 2023. Attended by over 10,000 representatives from 151 countries and 41 international organisations, the Forum once again showcased the tremendous appeal and global influence of Belt and Road cooperation. In the course of the forum, 458 outcomes in various fields have been reached, including cooperation agreements worth 97.2 billion USD concluded at the CEO Conference.
10 years ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping firstly proposed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The objective of BRI is to enhance policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial cooperation, and people-to-people bonds between partners, with a view to injecting new driving force to world development. Over the past decade, more than 150 countries and over 30 international organisations have signed Belt and Road cooperation documents with China. BRI partners have launched more than 20 multilateral dialogue and cooperation platforms in various sectors. With concerted efforts, a large number of signature projects and "small yet smart" programmes have been launched and finished. The global network of connectivity consisting of railways, roads, airports, ports, pipelines and power grids, etc., has been strengthened, boosting the flow of goods, capital, technologies and human resources among partners.
According to the World Bank, BRI increased the trade among its partners by 4.1%, attracted more than 5% foreign investment, and levelled up the GDP of low-income countries by 3.4%. Benefiting from BRI, the GDP share of emerging and developing economies increased by 3.6% from 2012 to 2021. The World Bank estimates that by 2030, BRI will generate 1.6 trillion USD in global revenue each year, accounting for 1.3% of global GDP. From 2015 to 2030, almost 40 million people will be lifted out of poverty under the auspices of BRI. It is well recognised that BRI served as an international public good and important platform for international cooperation.
The just concluded Forum provided an opportunity for BRI partners to take stock of achievements and draw a blueprint for future cooperation. During the forum, the Silk Road spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit was reaffirmed. BRI’s role as a catalyst to unity, mutually beneficially cooperation among partners further reinforced. The most important consensus reached in the forum is to usher in a new stage of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. The guiding principles for this cooperation were encapsulated as follows: extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, pursuing high-standard, people-centered and sustainable cooperation and embracing open, green and clean oriented development. The most ambitious vision of the forum is to realise global modernisation through joint efforts. BRI offers a platform for common development and helps many developing countries accelerate their pace toward modernisation.
The BRI and the forum is action-oriented, efficient and pragmatic. President Xi Jinping announced eight major steps that China will take to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.
In cooperation with BRI partners, we will jointly build a multidimensional Belt and Road connectivity network, integrating ports, shipping and trading services under the ‘Silk Road Maritime Transportation Platform’, and accelerate the building of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and the Air Silk Road.
In cooperation with BRI partners, we will promote unimpeded trade. China will enter into free trade agreements and investment protection treaties with more countries, and will hold the Global Digital Trade Expo annually. In the next five years (2024-2028), China will strive to make its total trade in goods and services exceed 32 trillion and 5 trillion USD respectively.
In cooperation with BRI partners, we will design and implement more practical projects. The China Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China will each set up a 350 billion RMB (equal to 50 billion USD) financing window. An additional 80 billion RMB will be injected into the Silk Road Fund. Together, they will support BRI projects on the basis of market and business operation. China will carry out 1,000 small-scale livelihood assistance projects, and enhance vocational education cooperation.
In cooperation with BRI partners, we will make “green” a defining feature of development. China will continue to deepen cooperation in areas such as green infrastructure, green energy and green transportation. China will continue to hold the BRI Green Innovation Conference, and establish dialogue and exchange mechanisms for the solar industry and a network of experts on green and low-carbon development.
In cooperation with BRI partners, we will advance scientific and technological innovation. China will increase the number of joint laboratories built with other parties to 100 in the next five years, and support young scientists from the world to work on short-term programmes in China.
In cooperation with BRI partners, we will support people-to-people exchanges. China has set up the Silk Road International League of Theaters, the Silk Road International Arts Festival, the International Alliance of Museums of the Silk Road, the Silk Road International Alliance of Art Museums, the Silk Road International Library Alliance as well as the International Tourism Alliance of Silk Road Cities. China will continue to provide Silk Road scholarships and enhance dialogue on civilisations with BRI partners.
In cooperation with BRI partners, we will put “integrity” on the salient position. BRI partners will establish the Integrity and Compliance Evaluation System for Companies Involved in BRI cooperation and carry out research and training on promoting integrity in BRI cooperation.
In cooperation with BRI partners, we will continue the institutional building. BRI partners will strengthen the building of multilateral cooperation platforms covering energy, taxation, finance, green development, disaster reduction, anti-corruption, think tank, media, culture and other fields. China will continue to host the BRF and establish a secretariat for the Forum.
In 2018, China signed two MoU with Seychelles on ‘Cooperation within the Framework of BRI’ and ‘Marine Cooperation towards Blue Partnership’. Over the past 5 years, a lot of progress has been achieved under BRI cooperation. This year, the Seychelles government sent a high-level delegation to the Third Forum and elaborated its view on the cooperation of maritime, sustainable fisheries and agriculture, etc. It is my belief that Seychelles, as an important ocean country situated at the centre of the western Indian Ocean, can play an important role in facilitating BRI cooperation, bringing benefits not only to the Seychellois people, but also peoples in the region and the world. China looks forward to further strengthening cooperation with Seychelles under the framework of BRI.
By Mu Jianfeng
Chargé d'affaires of the Chinese embassy in Seychelles
