Ties That Bind

The Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, a major diplomatic event in Beijing in October, will gather representatives from around the world for discussions on topics ranging from the digital economy to green development.

During his visit to Kazakhstan in September 2013, President Xi Jinping put forward the initiative of jointly building the Silk Road Economic Belt, which, together with the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road he proposed the following month in Indonesia, constitutes the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

One decade on, this initiative has distinguished itself for its broad participation, contributing to increased connectivity along and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes. As the BRI vision becomes a reality, it serves as a solid foundation and a strong

nd impetus for maintaining the multilateral trading system and promoting peace and development amid growing uncertainty in the international community.

The BRI has played a crucial role in deepening policy communication among the countries involved, reshaping international trade patterns and stimulating global economic growth. China has signed more than 200 documents on Belt and Road cooperation with 152 countries and 32 international organizations, covering the fields of trade, finance, society, e-commerce, science and technology, cultural exchange, etc.

Infrastructure connectivity among participating countries has been continuously improved. For example, the China-Europe freight train service has a network of 86 lines connecting China with over 200 cities in 25 European countries and regions as well as over 100 cities in 11 Asian countries and regions.

Investment and trade cooperation among participants is also on the up. China has signed 19 free trade agreements with 26 countries and regions in Asia, Oceania, Latin America, Europe and Africa. In the past 10 years, the BRI has attracted nearly $1 trillion in investment and established more than 3,000 cooperative projects. The proportion of China’s trade with other Belt and Road countries in the country’s total foreign trade has increased from 25 percent to 34 percent. In the first half of this year, China’s trade in goods with these countries was valued at 6.89 trillion yuan ($944 billion), a year-on-year growth of 9.8 percent.

Rather than differentiating countries by ideology or playing a zero-sum game, the BRI practices true multilateralism and ensures its benefits are shared equitably among the countries involved.