…As President Xi Announces Major Steps to Support High-Quality Belt and Road Cooperation
Chinese President Xi Jinping, on October 18, 2023, announced eight major steps China will embark on to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. First of the new initiatives, according to President Xi, is that China will build a multidimensional Belt and Road connectivity network.
In a keynote speech Xi delivered during the opening ceremony of the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) in Beijing, China, Xi said China will speed up high-quality development of the China-Europe Railway Express, participate in the trans-Caspian international transportation corridor, and host the China-Europe Railway Express Cooperation Forum.
Xi further said that China, in conjunction with other parties, will build new logistics corridor across the Eurasian continent linked by direct railway and road transportation.
Xi said: “We will vigorously integrate ports, shipping and trading services under the ‘Silk Road Maritime,’ and accelerate the building of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and the Air Silk Road.”
Xi also said China will support an open world economy with its total trade in goods and services expected to exceed $32 trillion and $5 trillion respectively in the 2024-2028 period, adding that China will establish pilot zones for Silk Road e-commerce cooperation and enter into free trade agreements and investment protection treaties with more countries.
While assuring that China will remove all restrictions on foreign investment access in the manufacturing sector, Xi also said efforts will be made to further advance high-standard opening up in cross-border service trade and investment, expand market access for digital and other products, and deepen reform in areas, including the state-owned enterprises, digital economy, intellectual property and government procurement and hold the Global Digital Trade Expo annually.
Another major step listed by President Xi was the carrying out of practical cooperation for the BRI by China, stating that China will promote both signature projects and “small yet smart” livelihood programs.
Xi assured more financing support for BRI projects on the basis of market and business operation, noting that the China Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China will each set up a 350 billion yuan (48.75 billion U.S. dollars) financing window, and that an additional 80 billion yuan will be injected into the Silk Road Fund.
Other steps listed by President Xi were the continuation of promotion of green development; continuation to advance scientific and technological innovation; China’s support for people-to-people exchanges; China’s promotion of integrity-based Belt and Road cooperation and China’s strengthening of the institutional building for international Belt and Road cooperation.
President Xi, Vice President Shettima Meet in Beijing
On the afternoon of October 18, 2023, President Xi Jinping met at the Great Hall of the People with Vice President Kashim Shettima, who was in China to attend the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.
Xi told Shettima that this year marks the 10th anniversary of his roposal of the Belt and Road Initiative and his proposal of the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith as part of China’s Africa policy.
Xi also told Shettima that over the past decade, Belt and Road cooperation between China and Africa has shown great vitality, and a large number of landmark rojects have been completed.
According to Xi, “There have been many highlights in the Belt and Road cooperation between China and Nigeria. Many cooperation projects including railways, ports, power stations and communications backbone networks have been completed in succession, and remarkable achievements have been made in the development of free trade areas. China is ready to continue working with Nigeria to push for more tangible outcomes of China-Nigeria and China-Africa Belt and Road cooperation and help Nigeria and Africa realize industrialization and agricultural modernization.”
Xi also said since the establishment of diplomatic relations etween China and Nigeria, ore than half a century ago, the two countries ave always adhered to the principle of mutual respect and mutual benefit.
On his part, Shettima congratulated China on the successfully hosting of the Third BRF, noting that Nigeria and China are good friends who have shared weal and woe and supported each other in times of difficulties.
Shettima said: “China has always treated Nigeria and other African countries with respect and as equals; it has never bossed them around, and has done its best to support the African people in seeking independence and development.”
Shettima also thanked China for proposing a series of important global cooperation initiatives for developing countries, providing valuable assistance for Nigeria’s development, nd boosting the industrialization process of Nigeria and Africa at large.
Chinese Modernization: Peaceful Development
The Chinese people are now marching ahead on the path to modernization. Modernization, however, may not evoke pleasant memories for everyone in the world. In many cases, it comes along with expansion, friction, and even conflict. But does it have to be this way? China has given a resounding answer: its modernization will be achieved through peaceful development. In fact, China is the only country whose Constitution says it “keeps to a path of peaceful development.” Why is this a big deal?
China Needs Peaceful Development for its Modernization Drive
On the path of peaceful development, China has never waged a war, or encroached upon a single inch of another country’s land. After the People’s Republic of China was founded, it took the lead in proposing and acting on the five principles of peaceful coexistence. Among the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China is the largest contributor of peacekeepers. China is also the only one of the five nuclear-weapon states (P5) that has pledged no-first-use of nuclear weapons.
Belt and Road Initiative: A Road of Prosperity for the New Era
In 2013, President Xi Jinping put forward the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). After a decade of development, the BRI has effectively promoted economic integration and interconnected development, and delivered benefits to all. It has laid down a pathway toward mutual benefit, win-win outcomes, prosperity and development in an age rife with turbulence and change.
The BRI shines the light of development and provides new impetus for global development. Development holds the master key to solving all problems and is a timeless theme for humanity. The BRI, focusing on development which best serves the common interests of all countries, has provided a platform for development with great inclusiveness, and promoted the common development and prosperity of all countries around the world. From 2013 to 2022, the total value of China’s trade in goods with key Belt and Road partner countries grew at an average annual rate of 8.6 percent, and the two-way investment exceeded USD 270 billion. Newly signed contracts of projects are worth over USD 1.2 trillion, and an array of infrastructure projects including roads, bridges and ports have come into commission, further promoting land, maritime, air and cyberspace connectivity.
The Belt and Road cooperation is not a solo performance, but a symphony played by all. The BRI has effectively synergized development strategies and practical demands among partners, and has helped partner countries transform their own advantages into tangible fruits of development.
China-Africa Scientific Cooperation Gaining Traction in Pursuit of Shared Prosperity
Cooperation between China and Africa in the fields of science, technology and innovation has gained momentum as both sides seek to chart a green, inclusive and resilient development pathway, said experts who attended a symposium that wrapped up Wednesday in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.
Kenya hosted the three-day China-Africa Science and Technology Cooperation and Innovation for Social and Economic Benefits Symposium, which saw the participation of nearly 100 attendees, including policymakers and scientists. The symposium was organized by the African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and the Chinese Mission to the African Union.
One of the key highlights of the symposium was the adoption of an ambitious blueprint to enhance China-Africa scientific collaboration in strategic areas such as food systems transformation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable water resources management.
