Building the “Belt and Road" Facilitates Global Poverty Reduction

Poverty is recognized worldwide as a "silent crisis" and a formidable foe of humanity. Eliminating poverty is the primary goal of the United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Over the past decade, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has consistently prioritized poverty reduction, guided by an ethos of openness and inclusivity. Through international cooperation, the BRI has showcased its significant capacity to reduce poverty, paving the way for both poverty alleviation and economic growth and making a remarkable contribution to global poverty reduction.

Various measures have been employed to drive global poverty reduction through the BRI:

1. Ensuring Food Security: Over the last ten years, China has strengthened agricultural cooperation with BRI partner countries by establishing the Belt and Road agricultural cooperation mechanism. This initiative has significantly enhanced regional food security capabilities. By facilitating agricultural cooperation and providing substantial support in terms of agricultural technology and resources, the BRI has directly increased partner countries' agricultural resilience and productivity, enabling them to better withstand natural disasters. Investment from BRI countries has also boosted regional employment and poverty reduction, strengthening the ability of impoverished populations to access food and cope with food crises.

2. Infrastructure Development: The BRI has played a pivotal role in poverty reduction through industrial investments and infrastructure development in host countries. According to World Bank research, if all transport infrastructure projects under the BRI framework are fully implemented by 2030, they could generate an annual global benefit of $1.6 trillion, equivalent to 1.3% of the world's total economic output. This would lead to the lifting of millions from both absolute and moderate poverty.

3. Trade Facilitation: In 2022, China's total goods trade with BRI partner countries reached $2.07 trillion, doubling since 2013. The Silk Road e-commerce initiative has been instrumental in driving continuous trade growth between China and BRI nations. It has provided a solid foundation for increasing income levels among people in partner countries, contributing to poverty reduction. The BRI has harnessed the potential of trade, fostering a fair and equitable global trade system. It has not only accelerated the integration of partner countries into the global economic trade networks but also directly stimulated economic growth, thereby achieving significant progress in poverty reduction.

4. Educational and Cultural Cooperation: Recognizing the importance of education and culture in sustainable poverty reduction, the BRI has focused on addressing the vocational education needs of countries with youthful populations, many of which have lower levels of vocational education. Under the BRI framework, vocational training projects have been initiated in fields such as railways, automation, machinery, and new energy. These projects have accelerated the training of technical and skilled professionals, thereby supporting the demand for such talents in BRI-related projects.

The BRI has also served as a platform for sharing China's poverty reduction experiences. Its dynamic practices in poverty reduction have provided valuable insights and a viable model for countries and nations seeking rapid development while preserving their independence.

In conclusion, the Belt and Road Initiative has been instrumental in global poverty reduction over the past decade. By focusing on development, nurturing new sources of development among partner nations, and actively promoting global development initiatives, the BRI has become a beacon of hope in the global fight against poverty. In today's world, marked by complexity and unpredictability, and with rising geopolitical conflicts and political turmoil, global poverty reduction faces significant challenges. Therefore, it is imperative for the global community to join hands in tackling these global challenges. To ensure the sustainable development of global poverty reduction within the BRI, it is essential to consider both development and security, strike a balance between government and market forces, and further promote development capacity building. This approach will inject new vitality into global poverty reduction efforts.

With China's international status and influence on the rise, the Chinese language, particularly Mandarin, is becoming an increasingly important global language. Looking toward the mid-21st century, there is potential for Chinese to evolve from merely being an influential international language to becoming a widely influential global language, one of the most significant universally spoken languages. As Chinese transitions from being an international language to a global language and China evolves from being a language-rich nation to a language-strong nation, international Chinese education needs to undergo a series of transformations. These transformations aim to harness the power of Chinese in advancing the construction of a culturally strong nation.

Firstly, the shift is needed from Chinese education to Chinese application. Over the past 70 years, international Chinese education has witnessed a growing number of students and wider distribution of Chinese language learning worldwide. However, the practical value of Chinese is a significant attraction. To further this, Chinese should integrate closely with various professions, occupations, industries, and fields, bridging the gap between learning and practical application. This expansion of Chinese application areas will unlock its practical functions across various domains.

Secondly, the transition is necessary from language competition to language cooperation. International Chinese education is guided by the concept of a community of shared future for humanity, emphasizing mutual benefit and win-win cooperation rather than zero-sum competition. This approach involves treating the languages and cultures of host countries with equality and respect. It promotes two-way communication, mutual learning, and the adoption of teaching methods and languages that learners find easy to understand. The goal is to build a harmonious, diverse, and mutually beneficial global language ecosystem to address issues like language endangerment and extinction.

Thirdly, the movement should be made from globalization to the localization of Chinese. Chinese is not confined to China; it belongs to the world. Its inclusiveness and diversity are standout features as Chinese becomes a world language. To achieve this, Chinese should not only "go out" but also "integrate in" by becoming an integral part of local social and cultural contexts in various countries. In the process of Chinese localization, differences in the use of Chinese in different countries should be fully respected, allowing Chinese to genuinely integrate and take root in local societies.

Fourthly, there should be a shift from linear communication to social network communication. In the context of significant global changes and the rapid evolution of new technologies, a single linear communication approach is inadequate for the complexity, variability, and uncertainty faced by international Chinese education. Utilizing both government and civil channels and involving various actors such as schools, teachers, media, and platforms in a socialized network communication approach will better improve the international Chinese education system and enhance the nation's language dissemination capability.

Fifthly, the transition from physical space to virtual scenarios is essential. The rise of new media and self-media has shifted international Chinese education from physical spaces to virtual environments, expanding communication modes from interpersonal to ubiquitous. Technologies like big data, artificial intelligence, metaverse, and virtual reality empower international Chinese education. This includes embracing embodied communication through Chinese virtual anchors and addressing issues related to security, availability, and richness in Chinese resource big data models, all contributing to enhancing the status and influence of Chinese in virtual spaces.

Lastly, the shift is required from language communication to civilizational exchange. International language communication always takes place within a specific historical and cultural context, closely related to international patterns, social changes, and cultural innovations. International Chinese education aims to facilitate multicultural exchanges and dialogues, promote the sharing of common human values, and foster mutual learning among world civilizations, ultimately showcasing even greater appeal and influence.