‘Belt and Road’ initiative creates opportunities for global economic growth
KUWAIT: Since Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the initiative to jointly build the “Belt and Road” in 2013, practical cooperation between China and Kuwait is progressing to a new level under the initiative. Kuwait highly appreciates and responds positively to this initiative, and was the first country to sign cooperation document on the “Belt and Road” with China. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has presented Vision 2035 to make Kuwait a financial and commercial center in the world. This vision is in line with China’s “Belt and Road” initiative. It will open wide horizons and give a strong momentum to enhance cooperation between the two sides.
In recent years, the two sides have maintained close exchanges and cooperation within the framework of the “Belt and Road,” a number of Chinese task groups have visited Kuwait, the two sides are discussing the Chinese cooperation in planning and building the projects of “Silk City” and “developing the Kuwaiti islands” which is considered as an important project in the Chinese - Kuwaiti collaboration framework in building “Belt and Road.”
Earlier this year, the Kuwaiti Ministers Council has decided to benefit from Chinese expertise to develop the “Silk City and the Islands” project. Therefore, the two sides will enhance coordination to push forward the practical cooperation between China and Kuwait to achieve further concrete achievements in the framework of “Belt and Road.”
The active practical cooperation between China and Kuwait is a thumbnail of the results of the “Belt and Road” initiative in promoting global economic cooperation. The initiative has received a positive response from the international community and strong support from more than 100 countries and international organizations since its launch five years ago. Cooperation agreements between China and more than 80 countries and international organizations have been signed and a number of important cooperative projects have been successfully implemented.
In May 2017, China successfully hosted the Beijing International “Belt and Road” Forum for International Cooperation, which was attended by 29 presidents or prime ministers, in addition to senior representatives from more than 140 countries and presidents of more than 80 international organizations. More than 270 collaborative results were achieved and international consensus was achieved on sharing the construction of “Belt and Road.” This is proof that the construction of the “Belt and Road” has become the network of mutually beneficial cooperation of the continents of the world and the platform of international cooperation for open development.
The central idea of the initiative is to enhance economic cooperation and integrate benefits through interconnectivity and infrastructure, opening up opportunities for global economic growth and common development for all countries. The initiative focuses on international economic cooperation, does not seek to isolate or target any country, doesn’t target the geopolitical competition, it is committed to participating in consultation, building and benefits, instead of being won by a single side, it’s not a winner and loser game, in which all sides will lose. The initiative is an international public product provided by China to the world, open to all and its results and benefits shared by the whole world.
The “Belt and Road” initiative is also transparent. Most of the participants in the initiative are developing countries, with a less developed economy, inadequate infrastructure and substantial financing needs for development. The “Belt and Road” initiative comes with the new opportunities and possibilities for these countries, which is an important reason for the initiative to be welcomed warmly by these countries. China adheres to the principle of participating in consultation, building and benefits and adheres to relevant market rules and regulations and working hard to push forward the construction of the “Belt and Road” to provide continuous high quality.
Therefore, we can say that the “Belt and Road” initiative is in line with the trend of the times and is consistent with the rules of growth and serves the interests of peoples of the world, with a wide and bright horizon. China will continue to make joint efforts with countries of the world, including the State of Kuwait, to push forward the construction of the “Belt and Road” with greater depth and provide more opportunities and greater contributions to the development of the world and the growth of the world economy.