Xi on "Belt and Road": Not China's solo but inspiring chorus

BOAO, China, March 28 -- The "Belt and Road" initiatives will not be a solo for China but a real chorus comprising all countries along the routes, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Saturday.

Xi made the remarks while delivering a keynote speech at the opening plenary of the annual conference of the Boao Forum for Asia in this small town in south China's Hainan Province.

The "Belt and Road" initiatives, aimed at meeting the development needs of China, countries along the routes and the region at large, will serve the common interests of relevant parties and answer the call of the times for regional and global cooperation, Xi said.

Noting that the initiatives will be carried out following principles of wide consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, Xi said the "Belt and Road" will be built on existing basis to help countries align their development strategies and form complementarity, with no intention of replacing existing mechanisms or initiatives for regional cooperation.

Stressing that the "Belt and Road" initiatives and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) are both open initiatives, Xi said all countries along the routes in Asia, as well as China's friends and partners around the world, are welcomed to take an active part in these endeavors.

The "Belt and Road" initiatives, namely, the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, were put forward by Xi during his visits to Kazakhstan and Indonesia in 2013.

The Silk Road Economic Belt is to be established along the ancient Silk Road trade route, stretching northwest from China's coastal area through Central Asia on to Europe, while the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road will run from China's south to Southeast Asia and even Africa.

The vision, once realized, will directly benefit 4.4 billion people, or 63 percent of the global population.

So far, more than 60 countries along the routes and international organizations have shown interest in taking part in the two initiatives.