Belt and Road on display at UN

"The Belt and Road Initiative is not China's solo, but a symphony performed by all the relevant parties," said Liu Jieyi, China's ambassador to the UN, in describing the core value of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Liu made the remarks at a photo exhibition titled Strengthening International Cooperation for Win-Win Development, which was kicked off at UN headquarters in New York on Monday night.

With about 40 photographs along the South Wall on the first floor, the exhibit showcases the thinking behind the BRI, its achievements so far, and its prospects and promises.

Photos are divided into five sections: Connectivity of Policy, Connectivity of Infrastructure, Connectivity of Trade, Connectivity of Finance and People-to-People Connectivity - in line with the initiative's five focuses.

The BRI, short for the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road, aims to enhance complementarity of development strategies and promote common progress of participating countries through closer international cooperation.

The BRI follows the principle of "extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits".

Liu said that the BRI is an open and inclusive initiative, aiming not to replace any existing regional platform or initiative, but to seek synergy among various strategies and achieve common development through closer international cooperation.

Countries along the Belt and Road have their own resource advantages, and their economies are mutually complementary, which provide great potential and space for cooperation.

Liu said that three years after its launch, the initiative has received widespread recognition and active participation across the world. More than 100 countries and international organizations have come aboard, and more than 40 of them have concluded cooperation agreements with China.

"This concerted effort has registered steady progress; the economic corridor development is making headway; trade and investment are growing substantially; key joint projects are well underway," Liu said.

And the initiative strongly reinforces the undertaking of the United Nations.

"Everybody is extremely excited because it is a demonstration of the global partnership that really fits the ambition of the 2030 agenda," said Amina J. Mohammed, deputy secretary-general of the UN.

"It does show us that with China's 13th Five-Year Plan, right at the very beginning, they had the 2030 Agenda at the core," she said. "This is a demonstration of what can happen when you want to lay down infrastructure that will help to grow economies not just in China but (with) genuine collaboration across borders, across borders for triangular cooperation; it is not just South-South but North-South-South as well."

Anatolio Ndong Mba, Equatorial Guinea's ambassador to the UN, said the initiative reflects the "dynamism" of Chinese development and economic activities. "This initiative is going to be a complete success," he said.

The exhibition is co-organized by the Chinese mission to the UN and Xinhua News Agency North American Bureau.

From May 14 to 15, China will host the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, during which all parties will discuss ways to boost cooperation, build cooperation platforms and share cooperation outcomes.

The forum also will explore ways to address problems facing global and regional economy, create fresh energy for pursuing interconnected development and make the BRI deliver greater benefits to the people of all countries.

xiaohong@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily USA 05/09/2017 page2)