Xi hails progress achieved in BRI cooperation
By Li
Ruohan and Li Xuanmin
Chinese
President Xi Jinping reiterated that the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative should focus on high quality and
sustainability so that the platform would yield more beneficial results to the
world.
Xi made
the remarks during a press conference at the closing of the Second Belt and
Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) in Beijing on Saturday, April 27.
The BRF,
which was held from April 25 to April 27, attracted 5,000 participants from
more than 150 countries and 90 international organizations.
A total
of 283 items of practical outcomes were achieved during the three-day forum and
cooperation agreements worth more than $64 billion were signed at a CEO
conference on April 25.
A joint
communiqué released after a leaders’ roundtable meeting at the forum on April
27 stressed that cooperation of BRI should be open, green and clean, and based
on extensive consultations, joint efforts, shared and mutual benefits.
Chinese
analysts said that the results show that the BRI has entered a new phase that
focuses on practical and high-quality implementation of projects.
The
communiqué and President Xi’s speeches also demonstrate that China does listen
to suggestions from partners and is proactively improving BRI projects
according to their needs, Huo Jianguo, vice chairman of the China Society for
World Trade Organization Studies, told the
Global Times.
It also
shows China’s commitment to following international rules and regulations to
achieve long-term and mutually beneficial results for BRI projects, said Huo.
Participants
agreed that the forum is an important platform for multilateral cooperation,
and should be held on a regular basis, Xi said. In the joint communiqué,
participants said that they look forward to the third BRF.
It’s a
very important opportunity for opinion leaders and decision makers to get
together to share their views and agree on the common ground for further steps
of cooperation and development, said Massimo Bagnasco, vice president of the
European Union Chamber of Commerce in China.
For
Mansoor Lari, CEO of the India's Silk Route Trade and Industry Development
Cooperation, the BRF has given a roadmap for the company to focus on an
aggressive market promotion to increase exporting Indian products to China and
to facilitate the participation of Indian small- and medium-sized enterprises.
He said
that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed with Chinese partners to
promote AI and block chain synergies.
Sushil
K. Lamsal, deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of Nepal, called the second
BRF a “historic event” as it provides guideposts and priorities for the future
trajectory of BRI cooperation.
“Our two
countries have already agreed to enhance such cooperation under the rubric of
trans-Himalayan connectivity networks. So, I believe there’s a bright future
for bilateral cooperation under this landmark initiative,” said Lamsal.
Global benefits
So far,
more than 150 countries and international organizations have signed BRI
cooperation documents with China. From 2013 to 2018, trade between China and
other Belt and Road countries surpassed $6 trillion, and China’s investment in
those countries exceeds $90 billion.
Because
of the cooperation under the BRI, eastern Africa has its own expressway, the
Maldives has its first inter-island bridge, Belarus can produce cars and the
number of freight trains between China and Europe is on the rise, Chinese State
Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a press conference in March.
The BRI
is a very important and positive initiative which China is offering to the
world. It greatly contributes to global peace and stability, said Sigfrido
Reyes, president of the Export and Investment Promotion Agency of El Salvador.
Through
increased trade connectivity, investment and technological exchanges, many
countries in the world could benefit from the initiative, said Reyes. “We could
accelerate our development via BRI platforms as well,” he said.
“In our
country, there is an infrastructure deficit to fill, such as building more
ports, airports, railways and highways. And we also need to increase our
digital connectivity,” Reyes told the Global
Times.
“The
purpose of these activities is to mitigate poverty, create new and high-quality
jobs. And at the same time, we also need to tackle problems like climate change
and managing natural resources,” he said.
In the
month leading up to the forum, Italy and Luxembourg became the latest European
countries to sign BRI cooperation documents. Twenty-two European countries had
signed BRI cooperation documents with China.
Amedeo
Scarpa, director of the Italy Trade Agency in Beijing, told the Global Times that the economic systems
of China and Italy are very complementary. “BRI could facilitate and further
boost this growing and promising trade and business cooperation between Italy
and China,” said Scarpa.
“We
expect economic and trade opportunities to benefit from this renewed climate of
strategic collaboration,” said Scarpa.
Not a political tool
When
asked whether they think China is seeking global hegemony through the
initiative, BRF attendees stressed that as the world seeks new ways to address
challenges such as climate change, poverty and illnesses, China should not be
blamed for offering proposals or solutions.
BRI
emphasizes incorporation, not confrontation, Reyes said.
“And in
the end, it will benefit not only China, but also the international community,
and I would never expect anything but a large contribution from China’s
leadership to further address the current global challenges,” Reyes said.
Bagnasco
noted that with the rise of protectionism, China has a great opportunity to
assume leadership on many global issues - such as climate change - within the
framework of existing multilateral institutions.
It can
also help work toward much needed WTO reforms, as it has agreed to do along
with the EU, through the EU-China Joint Working Group, Bagnasco noted.
Reyes
said he doesn’t share the concerns of the alleged debt trap issue of BRI. “China
has put a lot of effort and resources to make this initiative a reality, and
that includes providing favorable financing terms for developing countries.”
Reyes
noted that he was also impressed with China’s commitment to the initiative’s
transparency.
“Every
project should be closely scrutinized, not only in this initiative. That is the
rule for every project in the world. I think this is a very important message
to corporations that these initiatives should be free from corruption,” said
Reyes.
Source:Global Times
(Graphic from Global Times)
Xi hails progress achieved in BRI cooperation
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