Belt and Road creating better global connectivity

The Belt and Road Initiative has benefited the world by improving connectivity in an open global economy, said state leaders, ministers and senior officials from international organizations.

They made the remarks at a high-level forum on connectivity, one of the three high-level forums at the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Beijing on Wednesday.

During his opening remarks at the event, Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to promote development, advocate for win-win cooperation and deliver hopes, has become a pathway toward benefiting the world and bringing happiness to the people.

China is willing to work with countries and international organizations to promote comprehensive and multifield connectivity, deepen policy communications, continuously consolidate and expand the circle of friends, strengthen infrastructure connectivity and promote a smoother and efficient network for connectivity, Ding said.

"The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative has been successfully implemented, bearing fruits and benefiting developing countries like Laos," said Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith in his speech at the forum.

He named several examples, such as the China-Laos Railway, the country's extended highway network, the economic corridor, and programs in agriculture and clean energy sector.

"Those were a small part of successful stories that the BRI has brought to Laos in the past 10 years," he said, adding that all accomplishments have proved that high-quality development leads to shared prosperity.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic echoed his comments, pointing to the Chinese proverb "In order to get rich, first build a road". He said the proverb can be applied to the BRI and spoke of the benefits of the BRI-built Hungary-Serbia Railway.

Since the railway's opening in March last year, millions of passenger trips have been made on Serbia's first high-speed track.

Vucic added that China has played a key role in assisting Serbia in developing its mining industry, in cooperating in areas such as artificial intelligence, and in establishing a Sino-Serbian and high-tech industrial park.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban also spoke of how connectivity can help Europe gain development opportunities. He said that as a member of the European Union, Hungary fully supports the BRI and believes the initiative will assist the Hungarian people in gaining a better life.

Kao Kim Hourn, secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, said the BRI has promoted global and regional connectivity and ASEAN will have more opportunities in infrastructure development.

He said many economic activities such as investment and tourism are dependent on infrastructure development, adding that the BRI is a creative way to boost development and international cooperation.

Li Xiaopeng, China's transport minister, said, "Over the past 10 years, we have persisted in engaging with the world and keeping up with the times, vigorously promoting connectivity in transportation and contributing to common development."

China will continue to promote global cooperation in the transportation sector to share development opportunities with other countries, Li said.

The Beijing Initiative for Deepening Cooperation on Connectivity was released at the forum, with the aim of constantly enhancing infrastructure connectivity among countries involved in the BRI, and making the world economy more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all.

The Beijing Initiative proposed improving connectivity in six aspects: enhancing the performance and connectivity of transport infrastructure, empowering the stable and sustainable development of energy, improving the capacity of water facilities to safeguard people's livelihood, promoting the connectivity of information infrastructure, strengthening "soft connectivity" of rules and standards, and optimizing the international business environment.

Viliame Gavoka, deputy prime minister and minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation of Fiji

The BRI was proposed 10 years ago. We were very excited about the initiative to lift the relationship (between China and Fiji) to another level. We have seen some projects in Fiji. The past 10 years have been quite remarkable. The way President Xi has stayed the course remained very firm on the initiative. A lot of countries, including Fiji, are part of this. We support it all the way and we can see huge benefits for us. It (the initiative) absolutely improves the economy of Fiji. It connects us to all other parts of the world. In the past, the relationship was more like bilateral — China and Fiji — but now it's multilateral and inclusive of everyone, and that's the beauty about it.

Frank Museba Tayali, minister of Transport and Logistics of Zambia

This initiative is a very important initiative, especially for what used to be landlocked countries like Zambia. We now consider ourselves land-linked because of this awakening that in order to promote trade and connectivity, there is importance in developing infrastructure. This is extremely important in the win-win situation that President Xi Jinping has talked about and together, develop together and share profits. I think that is the way to go for the world to promote a more equitable and fairer world and society that we live in.