Pursue quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative

On November 19, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, addressed the third symposium on the “Belt and Road” initiative and proposed new thoughts on further development of the initiative considering the new changes in the international landscape.

New Circumstances, New Strategy

Peace and development remain the theme of our time. Globalization still maintains momentum. Over the past eight years, nearly 80% of the countries with which China has established diplomatic relations have joined the “Belt and Road” initiative. This shows that the “Belt and Road” has been supported and accepted by most countries in the world and that the achievements of the initiative have been widely recognized.

There are some setbacks in the international landscape. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted some BRI projects in the short term. Some countries stigmatize the “Belt and Road” initiative and try to undermine it. The challenge of climate change requires all countries to make adjustments in BRI projects. The complicated international landscape has added more uncertainty to the “Belt and Road” initiative.

Seize Opportunity, Explore New Areas

Xi raised the new requirements for expanding cooperation areas and fostering new growth points for cooperation in terms of pandemic control, renewable energy, ecological protection, climate change, as well as digital and technological cooperation.

Some enterprises need to improve their previous plans, create new projects, adjust the direction and scale of their projects, which will help enterprises not only seize new opportunities and facilitate development, but also take on their social responsibilities and make contributions to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Coordination and Progress

Xi’s remarks feature his thought on coordination: coordination between development and security, domestic and international situations, cooperation and conflicts, stocks and increments, the whole picture and key points, in response to the increasingly complicated international landscape.

Xi’s remarks feature his thought on progress in terms of connectivity, new cooperation, “Belt and Road” development, new development landscape, dual circulation, potential risk prevention, implementation at central, ministerial, municipal, and other local levels.

Risk Control and Higher Efficiency

Xi attached great importance to potential risks and proposed effective measures to prevent them.    Xi proposed to establish relevant accountability mechanisms, 24-hour risk assessment service platform, and coordinated security mechanisms used to protect overseas interests and counter terrorism, draw up coordinated plans for BRI development and pandemic control, offer guidance in observing local law and customs for overseas staff and citizens, and enhance legal business operation and cross-border anti-corruption efforts.

Xi’s requirements for risk control have developed into a network for risk prevention and control and summarized his systematic thoughts on risk prevention. This shows that risk prevention is an important part to push the development of the “Belt and Road” initiative to a higher level.

Contributed by Professor Hu Biliang, Executive Director of the Belt and Road School, Beijing Normal University

Translated by Wu Zidan