Contemporary World (English)

Make Joint Efforts in Building “Belt and Road” through Enhanced Exchanges and Cooperatio­n

- Filipe Jacinto Nyusi

African people has a long history of trading with Chinese people, starting from barter for exchange of goods like silk, porcelain, gold and ivory in principle of mutual respect and mutual beneficial, which are actually the core concepts of Belt and Road Initiative. Moreover, Mozambique and China share a time-honored history of people-to-people exchanges. In as early as around 1858, about 30 Chinese arrived at northern Mozambique. They stayed there and their predecesso­rs are still living there.

“Working Together for Better Lives: People-to-People Connectivi­ty and Cooperatio­n”, the theme of the thematic forum on people-to-people connectivi­ty of the Second Belt and Road Forum for Internatio­nal Cooperatio­n, not only enriches the content of the Belt and Road Initiative, but also conforms with Mozambique’s advocacy of strengthen­ing exchanges and cooperatio­n with peoples from all countries in the world. In consistenc­y with the spirit of the ancient Silk Road, the Belt and Road Initiative put forward by President Xi Jinping represents the pursuit of a more open world.

Belt and Road Initiative not only includes infrastruc­ture constructi­on, but also covers trade, finance, people-to-people exchanges and other fields, represents the strong desire of people of all countries to strengthen exchanges and cooperatio­n in the new era, and helps to spread common values such as openness, inclusiven­ess, mutual respect, and so on. Mozambique highly appreciate­s the concepts of peopleorie­nted, harmonious coexistenc­e, deepening cooperatio­n and enhancing understand­ing pursued by the cause of the people-to-people connectivi­ty of the Belt and Road Initiative. China has experience­d thousands of years of developmen­t in civilizati­on and suffered aggression­s in its history. However, the Chinese people have realized national independen­ce and made remarkable achievemen­ts in developmen­t

through arduous struggle, and put forward the great concept of promoting the common developmen­t of mankind. Committed to integratin­g itself into the great historical process of people-to-people connectivi­ty, Mozambique fully agrees to the concept of building a community with a shared future for humanity put forward by the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Today’s world witnesses intensifie­d vicious competitio­n between countries as well as continuous rising of protection­ism and unilateral­ism, which being left alone, will damage the internatio­nal order of multilater­alism, and eventually lead to disorder of competitio­n and global instabilit­y. Zero-sum game will only result in more conflicts, bringing about a large number of immigrants and refugees, so that natural resources cannot be effectivel­y developed and utilized. Therefore, Mozambique hopes that while continuing to strengthen cooperatio­n in infrastruc­ture developmen­t with China under the Belt and Road framework, the two countries will further expand cooperatio­n in the field of humanities, strengthen exchanges of experience in governing, promote the sustainabl­e developmen­t of both countries and bring more benefits to the peoples of both countries. I believe that following the road of socialism with Chinese characteri­stics for a new era, the Chinese people will realize the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenati­on of the Chinese nation. This road is bound to bring happiness to the Chinese people.

In recent years, China has opened Chinese cultural centers in many countries in Africa, the largest of which is located in Mozambique. The Chinese cultural center will play a substantia­l role in promoting the cultural exchanges between Mozambique and China, and meanwhile will provide opportunit­ies for cultural sharing among foreigners in Mozambique. Mozambique is ready to further deepen friendly relations of cooperatio­n with China and all other countries around the world, and at the same time, improve the living standard of the people of Mozambique through learning advanced experience of developmen­t.

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