The State Council Information Office of China released a white paper titled “The Belt and Road Initiative: A Key Pillar of the Global Community of Shared Future” on Tuesday.
The white paper is expected to give the international community a better understanding of the value of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), facilitate high-quality cooperation under it, and ultimately deliver benefits to more countries and peoples.
Since its launch, the BRI has evolved “from ideas into actions, from a vision into reality, and from a general framework into concrete projects,” said the document. “It has been welcomed by the international community both as a public good and a cooperation platform.”
Over the past decade, BRI cooperation has delivered real gains to participating countries, contributed to the sound development of economic globalization and helped resolve global development challenges and improve the global governance system.
It has also opened up a new path for all humanity to realize modernization, and ensured that the efforts of building a global community with a shared future are delivering real results, the white paper said.
Looking forward, China stands ready to work with other countries to pursue closer and more fruitful cooperation under the BRI framework, implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, and build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity.
Here are the key highlights of the white paper on the initiative.
1. Proposed by China, BRI belongs to the world
In response to a changing global situation and the expectations of the international community, and with the future and overall interests of humanity in mind, China proposed the BRI.
In March 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the vision of a global community of shared future; in September and October that year, Xi raised the initiatives of joining with others to build a Silk Road Economic Belt and a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which would become known as the Belt and Road Initiative, or BRI.
Committed to the Silk Road spirit, a great heritage of human civilization, the BRI connects the past, the present, and the future, said the white paper.
“This initiative was launched by China, but it belongs to the world and benefits the whole of humanity.”
2. Roadmap to shared development, prosperity
The BRI is in alignment with the concept of a global community of shared future, and it provides not only a conceptual framework but also a practical roadmap for all nations to achieve shared development and prosperity, said the white paper.
Founded on the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, it advocates win-win cooperation in pursuit of the greater good and shared interests.
The BRI is committed to open, green and clean cooperation towards inclusive and sustainable development, and it has zero tolerance for corruption and promotes steady and high-quality growth.
An initiative towards progress, cooperation and inclusiveness, the BRI pursues development, promotes win-win outcomes, and inspires hope. It aims to deepen understanding and trust, strengthen comprehensive exchanges, and ultimately achieve common development and shared prosperity.
The BRI is a path to peace, prosperity, openness, innovation and social progress, according to the white paper.
3. All-round connectivity
China has worked with participating countries to facilitate policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and closer people-to-people ties, by orienting towards “hard connectivity” in infrastructure, bolstering “soft connectivity” through harmonized rules and standards, and strengthening people-to-people bonds.
Based on a framework comprising “six corridors, six routes, and multiple countries and ports,” a multi-tiered and multidimensional infrastructure network is taking shape, according to the white paper.
Facilitating trade and investment is a major task in building the Belt and Road, said the document. From 2013 to 2022, the cumulative value of imports and exports between China and BRI partner countries reached $19.1 trillion, with an average annual growth rate of 6.4 percent.
As its scope expands, the BRI has become the world’s largest platform for international cooperation, with the broadest coverage, according to the white paper.
4. Tangible benefits to participating countries
Over the past decade, BRI cooperation has witnessed remarkable results, bringing tangible benefits to participating countries, adding vitality to economic globalization, and injecting positive energy into world peace and development, according to the white paper.
The BRI has addressed the major bottlenecks restricting connectivity and economic growth in most of the developing countries. A large number of infrastructure projects, such as railways, highways, pipelines, shipping, energy, communications and other basic public service facilities, have been built.
“This has improved local living and working conditions and the development environment, and boosted their capacity for independent economic development,” said the document.
The World Bank has estimated that by 2030, BRI-related investments could lift 7.6 million out of extreme poverty and 32 million out of moderate poverty.
5. Bright future, broad prospects
Experience over the past 10 years has proved that BRI cooperation responds to the call of the times and benefits the peoples in participating countries, and thus enjoys popular support.
“It is a path for all participating countries to achieve modernization and a path of hope leading to a bright future. It is resilient and vigorous, and offers broad prospects,” said the white paper.
China, as a large and developing country that meets its responsibilities, will continue to promote the BRI as its overarching plan and its top-level design for opening up and win-win international cooperation.
China is ready to increase its resource input in global cooperation and do its best to support and help other developing countries to progress faster, according to the white paper.
Read more:
Ten years of development: How BRI grows from vision to reality
How China shares development dividend with world through BRI
(Cover: The white paper titled “The Belt and Road Initiative: A Key Pillar of the Global Community of Shared Future” is released at a press conference in Beijing, China, October 10, 2023. /CFP)