Success of the Belt and Road Initiative proved at the CPC and World Political Parties Summit

The Communist Party of China (CPC) and World Political Parties Summit was held online last Tuesday in Beijing, China’s capital city. The cloud summit was joined by leaders of more than 500 political parties and organizations from over 160 countries, according to Xinhua report. Ambassadors of different countries and representatives of international organizations were invited to join the offline gathering at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.

Adnan Akfırat, author of this article, attended the offline meeting of the CPC and World Political Parties Summit on July 6, 2021 as Chairman of the Turkish-Chinese Business Development and Friendship Association.

Xi Jinping, CPC General Secretary and President of China, addressed the world via video link in Beijing. The ambassadors all stood up as Xi Jinping appeared on the big screen at the State Guest House. Officials from the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, who were there to accompany the foreign guests, joined the diplomats. Loud applause broke out in the hall. Even after Xi Jinping sat down, the round of applause continued. The joy of the Chinese officials and the respect shown to President Xi was extraordinary.

Xi Jinping’s candid, humble, wise, and courageous speech received great acknowledgement among diplomats. Respect goes for Xi as well as China’s extraordinary achievement of winning the battle against poverty under the leadership of the CPC in the New Era.

8 SPEAKERS FROM ASIA, 7 SPEAKERS FROM AFRICA, 3 SPEAKERS FROM AMERICA AND EUROPE

At the Summit, seven presidents and one ex-president from Asia; seven presidents from Africa; two presidents and one ex-president from America; a president, a party leader, and an international institution from Europe made a speech.

The only Turk-origin speaker was Nursultan Nazarbayev, former President of Kazakhstan and Chairman of the New Otan Party. The absence of Turkish President Erdogan was felt in the hall.

It was important for Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to commemorate the leader of the Chinese revolution, Mao Zedong. Except for Medvedev, the former President of the Russian Federation, the majority of the speakers commemorated Mao Zedong. Only Medvedev emphasized Deng Xiaoping.

AFRICA, AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE NEW WORLD

It was also noteworthy that African presidents speaking at the Summit were more than America and Europe. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa made the first speech immediately after Xi Jinping’s opening speech. Later, presidents of Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Congo, and South Sudan also spoke. China’s coronavirus vaccine aid to Africa and the development opportunities provided by the Belt and Road Initiative were the common points of these conversations. It was also significant that African leaders directly targeted imperialism in their speeches. The Summit showed that African countries will be at the forefront in defeating imperialist hegemonism and building the new world.

VARIOUS IDEOLOGIES, COMMON TARGET

Of the 21 speakers who gave very appropriate and well-deserved praises to the Communist Party of China, only eight were from the communist parties of different countries. The remaining 13 speakers were from other ideological and political movements.

COMMON PRAISE TO THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE

The Belt and Road Initiative was the most crucial issue of consensus at the Summit. All speakers have praised and declared their allegiance to the Belt and Road Initiative. Centenella, President of the Spanish Communist Party, emphasized that BRI is the only initiative in the history of humanity with the participation of the largest number of countries.

It has been proven once again that the understanding of “development by sharing” is the common aspiration of the nations. It has been accepted that the alliance of countries for development is the key to achieving a more fair, egalitarian, and prosperous world. The Belt and Road Initiative, which Xi Jinping first announced in Kazakhstan in 2013, has come a long way in eight years.

The success of the Summit that will always be remembered in history was the victory of BRI. Turkey needs to seize opportunities to develop the Belt and Road Initiative, which it joined early on.

(Contributed by Adnan Akfırat for Guangming Online)