Belt and Road cooperation on right side of history

A China-Europe freight train runs on the Lanzhou–Xinjiang railway in Wuwei, northwest China's Gansu province. (People's Daily Online/Song Jialong)

"Belt and Road cooperation is based on the principle of 'planning together, building together, and benefiting together.' It transcends differences between civilizations, cultures, social systems, and stages of development. It has opened up a new path for exchanges among countries, and established a new framework for international cooperation. Indeed, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) represents humanity's joint pursuit of development for all."

The remarks by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the opening ceremony of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) summarized the successful experience of the BRI in the past decade. He announced eight major steps China will take to support the joint pursuit of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, providing a new direction, vision, and impetus for deepening international cooperation under the BRI.

Belt and Road cooperation has extended from the Eurasian continent to Africa and Latin America, progressed from "sketching the outline" to "filling in the details," and expanded from physical connectivity to institutional connectivity.

Over these 10 years, China and other Belt and Road countries have stayed committed to the founding mission. Thanks to their joint efforts, Belt and Road international cooperation has gotten off the ground, grown rapidly and produced fruitful outcomes, providing an important platform and gaining valuable experiences for building an open, inclusive and interconnected world for common development.

Belt and Road international cooperation fully proves that humankind is a community with a shared future.

As an Indonesian media outlet recently pointed out, since the proposal of the BRI, the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind has evolved from a concept into concrete actions, and from a visionary ideal into real achievements.

Photo taken on Oct. 16, 2023 shows a decoration for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation near the China National Convention Center in Beijing. (People's Daily Online/Guo Junfeng)

Through Belt and Road cooperation, China is opening its door even wider to the world, and China's market has become even more closely integrated with the global market.

China has become a main trading partner of more than 140 countries and territories and a primary source of investment for more countries. Both Chinese investment overseas and foreign investment in China have boosted friendship, cooperation, confidence and hope.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who led a large delegation to China to attend the third BRF, noted that China's assistance and cooperation have helped Serbia maintain sound economic development and delivered huge benefits to the Serbian people.

Belt and Road international cooperation fully proves that win-win cooperation is the sure way to success in launching major initiatives that benefit all.

Xi pointed out that "When countries embrace cooperation and act in concert, a deep chasm can be turned into a thoroughfare, land-locked countries can become land-linked, and a place of underdevelopment can be transformed into a land of prosperity."

Over these 10 years, China and other Belt and Road countries have endeavored to build a global network of connectivity consisting of economic corridors, international transportation routes and information highway as well as railways, roads, airports, ports, pipelines and power grids. Covering the land, the ocean, the sky and the Internet, this network has boosted the flow of goods, capital, technologies and human resources among countries involved and injected fresh vitality into the millennia-old Silk Road in the new era.

Tractors to be exported to other Belt and Road countries are assembled in a company in Luoyang, central China's Henan province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Yixi)

Foreign dignitaries spoke highly of the fruitful achievements of the BRI, saying the initiative provides a very important and effective way to help developing countries achieve sustainable development, sets an example for South-South cooperation, and has become an important platform for international mutually beneficial cooperation and an important opportunity for common development.

Belt and Road international cooperation fully proves that the Silk Road spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit is the most important source of strength for Belt and Road cooperation.

Belt and Road cooperation is based on the belief that flame runs high when everyone adds wood to the fire and that mutual support can get us far. Such cooperation seeks to deliver a good life not only to people of just one country, but to people in other countries as well. It promotes connectivity, mutual benefit, common development, cooperation and win-win outcomes.

International observers pointed out that the reason why the BRI is attracting more and more countries to participate is that in the face of the fierce geopolitical competition and risks of local conflicts in today's world, the Silk Road spirit upheld by the initiative has been widely recognized by the international community.

What has been achieved in the past 10 years demonstrates that Belt and Road cooperation is on the right side of history. It represents the advancing of our times, and it is the right path forward. Belt and Road cooperation will always bring stability and positive energy to the world.

Belt and Road countries need to remain clear-eyed and undisturbed in a volatile world, and they need to be keenly aware of their responsibility for history, for the people and for the world. China and other Belt and Road countries will jointly address various global risks and challenges, and deliver a bright future of peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit for future generations.