CGTN America
In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese President Xi Jinping, center, and countries’ leaders and delegates attending the Belt and Road Forum pose for a group photo on stage at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, Sunday, May 14, 2017. Xi called Sunday for closer cooperation among countries across Asia and Europe in areas from anti-terrorism to finance, as officials from dozens of governments met to promote a Beijing-led initiative to expand trade links across the region. (Pang Xinglei/Xinhua via AP)
A project of the century: that’s how China’s President Xi Jinping opened the Belt-and-Road Forum.
It’s the highest-profile international assembly since the Initiative was announced in 2013.
And as Xi put it, participants share “a common space and destiny” for future worldwide growth and cooperation.
CGTN’s Sean Callebs reports on the first day’s accomplishments.
A Project of the Century: Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Forum gets underway
A project of the century: that’s how China’s President Xi Jinping opened the Belt-and-Road Forum. It’s the highest-profile international assembly since the Initiative was announced in 2013. And as Xi put it, participants share “a common space and destiny” for future worldwide growth and cooperation.Moving forward in the effort to create a global economic linchpin, Chinese President Xi Jinping began with a look back, to the historic Silk Road, where hundreds of years ago, trade and relationships navigated a complex landscape of differing cultures, religions, and races.
“In the course of exchange, people of different cultures, religions and races are seeking common ground and have fostered a spirit of mutual respect and engaged in a common endeavor to pursue prosperity,” Xi said.
As China endeavors to push the One Belt One Road initiative off the drawing board and into reality President Xi made it clear all nations -in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas are welcome.
In an attempt to allay concerns about China’s rise on the global stage, President Xi said China doesn’t want to impose its will, or interfere with other nations or anything else that could create instability.
“This is a continuation of Chinese non-interference,” Economist Suman Bery said.
Bery points out the One Belt One Road Forum is focusing a lot on developing infrastructure. But, he says, international trade and capital flow is a big part of the ambitious plan, and China is investing many many billions of dollars into it.
“China is biting off a lot, and I think it is for China to decide whether that is much more than they can chew. ” Bery said.
“China is now a leader in the push to keep globalization active, and at the same time, making sure prosperity is inclusive fair and just,” the Global Foundation’s Steve Howard said.
In addition to the Global Foundation, Australian Steve Howard is an international adviser to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
He calls Xi’s address at the forum a watershed moment – redefining international trade and cooperation.
Howard predicts nations on the outside looking in, will join China’s ambitious project.
“I would not be surprised if the United States, Australia and other countries that have been sitting back come on board with the Belt and Road,” Howard continued.
