Foreign leaders pledge to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation

BEIJING, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has effectively promoted the progress of our planet, said foreign leaders and experts, vowing to deepen Belt and Road cooperation to achieve higher-quality and higher-level common development in the next "golden decade."

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the BRI has achieved great success and has become an important international public good widely recognized by the world, expressing his confidence in greater achievements of this great cause.

He added that Russia is willing to strengthen communication and collaboration with China within multilateral mechanisms such as BRICS, uphold the international system based on international law, and promote the establishment of a more just and reasonable global governance system.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said here Wednesday that Kazakhstan plans to build 1,300 km of new railways in the next three years in synergy with the Belt and Road Initiative.

"Following the fundamental interests of the people of Kazakhstan and China, the spirit of friendship and eternal strategic partnership, our country is firmly committed to further promoting the high goals of the Belt and Road Initiative," Tokayev said at the opening of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

"Within three years, we plan to build 1,300 km of new railway tracks. We are going to open a third railway border crossing on the Kazakh-Chinese border, as well as build new dry ports," Tokayev said.

"All of these are real examples of the coupling of major economic projects in Kazakhstan" with the BRI, the president added.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo also called on all partner countries to collectively make the BRI stronger and more impactful.

"I would like to thank the Chinese government and President Xi Jinping for their contributions to developing countries through the BRI. I hope the synergy of BRI in infrastructure development can always be strengthened," said Widodo on Wednesday at the opening ceremony of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Beijing.

During his speech, Widodo mentioned Indonesia's newly-launched and operated Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, a flagship project under the scheme of the BRI.

"Let's move forward persistently together to promote economic development and realize people's welfare," Widodo said.

Hailing China as a "true friend" of Argentina, President Alberto Fernandez said the Belt and Road cooperation has created important opportunities for developing countries and played an irreplaceable role in promoting world peace, fairness and sustainable development.

Argentina will work with China to support multilateralism and strengthen communication and coordination within the frameworks of the G20 and BRICS cooperation mechanism, Fernandez said.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Wednesday that as one of the largest transnational infrastructure programs, the BRI is facilitating integration and sustainable growth.

Large-scale investments in infrastructure and strengthened commercial ties have boosted the continent's economic development, Ahmed said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday that projects under the BRI are changing landscapes and helping improve livelihoods worldwide.

Guterres added the concept of Green Silk Road under the BRI provides an important opportunity to fast-track sustainable and climate-resilient development to protect lives and livelihoods.

The Green Silk Road can be a critical part of this process to fast-track a fair, equitable and just energy transition, said the UN chief.