The third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation is underway in China. World leaders are gathered in Beijing for what’s being called China’s “most important diplomatic event” of the year.

Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed his global guests, voicing enthusiasm for another ‘golden decade’ of Belt and Road achievements to come.

Joining the discussion: 

• Zoon Ahmed Khan is a Research Fellow at the Center for China & Globalization.
• Gilson Schwartz is a Professor of Economics at the University of São Paulo.
• John Gong is a China Forum expert and Professor at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.
• Victor Gao is Chair Professor at China’s Soochow University.

Deals reached on the first day of the third Belt and Road Forum (#BRF) have hit a record in terms of both the number and value of contracts, which underscores foreign entrepreneurs’ confidence in the past decade’s achievements and outlook of BRI. #BRIinDecade… pic.twitter.com/xObqa7bdYe

— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) October 17, 2023

Russian President Vladimir Putin met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing Tuesday in a rare trip abroad to attend the country's third Belt and Road forum https://t.co/5Ihy5Rjna3 pic.twitter.com/eWbXyoMUa2

— Bloomberg (@business) October 17, 2023