The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2021, the world's first offline conference, attracted the world's attention this year, with "One Belt, One Road" once again becoming a "high-frequency word" among the participants. "The Boao Forum has once again sent a clear signal to the world about the high-quality construction of the "One Belt, One Road".
High-frequency words" hotly debated by forum guests
This year's Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference not only included "One Belt, One Road" as its theme, but also set up a special section on "One Belt, One Road" cooperation and held seven forums related to "One Belt, One Road". The conference also featured seven "Belt and Road"-related forums, including a roundtable on how to accelerate trade flows in response to the impact of the epidemic and a roundtable on sustainable financing to help build a high-quality "Belt and Road" together.
Behind the intensive dialogue and discussions, the "Belt and Road" circle of friends is expanding and new achievements have been made in the construction of the "Belt and Road".
Health Silk Road, Digital Silk Road, Green Silk Road ...... a series of initiatives around the framework of "One Belt, One Road" in the forum triggered hot discussion, domestic and foreign guests to better promote the "One Belt, One Road" construction The "Belt and Road" construction is being promoted by domestic and international guests.
In terms of building a closer partnership for connectivity, the participants believe that China's proposal to build a digital Silk Road under the framework of the Belt and Road can effectively overcome the "digital divide" between developing and developed countries.
Financial integration is an important support for the construction of the Belt and Road. How to provide blood transfusion and blood creation for the Belt and Road has become an important topic of concern for the participants. Hu Xiaolian, Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of China, believes that the sustainable financing of "One Belt, One Road" should focus on four key words: blood building, moderate grasp, diversified sources, and win-win investment and financing.
A bright spot in the epidemic gloom
In the first quarter of this year, 1,941 China-European Liner trains were operated, sending 174,000 TEUs of cargo, up 15% and 18% respectively year-on-year. 12,400 China-European Liner trains will be operated in 2020, up 50% year-on-year.
The freight volume of the China-Europe Class trains rose against the trend, becoming a "steel camel" to stabilize global supply during the epidemic, demonstrating the strong resilience and vitality of the "Belt and Road" construction.
Under the epidemic, "One Belt, One Road" cooperation is moving forward, driving the economy along the route to burst into life. Data from the Ministry of Commerce shows that in the first quarter of this year, China's trade in goods with countries along the "Belt and Road" reached 2.5 trillion yuan, up 21.4% year-on-year. Last year, in the midst of a raging epidemic, China invested US$17.8 billion in non-financial direct investment in countries along the route, up 18.3 per cent year-on-year, and US$18.61 billion in industry-wide direct investment in countries along the route, up 14 per cent year-on-year.
A large number of overseas projects and park construction have been steadily promoted in the midst of overcoming the epidemic, with positive progress made in major projects such as the China-Lao Railway and the Yavan Railway, and 13 new enterprises have been admitted to the China-Belarus Industrial Park. At the same time, enterprises from countries along the route are also optimistic about China's development opportunities. In the first quarter of this year, 1,241 new enterprises were established in China from countries along the route, up a whopping 44% year-on-year, with actual investment of US$3.25 billion, up 64.6% year-on-year.
Vice Minister of Commerce Qian Keming said that global cross-border investment has declined somewhat under the impact of the epidemic, but the "Belt and Road" investment cooperation has made steady progress, which is invaluable.
The annual report released at the Boao Forum for Asia 2021 Annual Conference pointed out that in the face of the epidemic, projects related to the construction of the "Belt and Road" have continued to advance, with many highlights of cooperation achievements, and trade and investment have grown against the trend, becoming a bright spot in the gloom of the epidemic.
A strong voice of the times for high-quality joint construction
"In the seven years since the Belt and Road Initiative was launched, it has moved from "painting with a broad brush" to "painting with a brush", and has now entered a phase of high-quality joint construction.
However, in the face of the global governance deficit and the epidemic of the century, the "One Belt, One Road" initiative has also encountered some challenges.
In the post-epidemic era, the Belt and Road remains a realistic solution to the development problems faced by all countries and an effective public good to address global issues, according to the participants.
The participants are looking forward to a higher quality development and a wider scope of joint construction of the Belt and Road, through which they will be able to solve the various development problems faced by various countries and join hands to play the strong voice of high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road.
How can we promote the "One Belt, One Road" high-quality joint construction? Building a closer partnership for health, building a closer partnership for connectivity, building a closer partnership for green development, building a closer partnership for openness and inclusiveness. ...... China has enriched the connotation of a high-quality "Belt and Road" together. It also shows the way.
The water of the Wanquan River is clear and calm on the banks of the ancient ferry port, while at the mouth of the Boao estuary, the river and the sea meet with the sound of waves.
"We need to strengthen international cooperation and bring the world closer to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals through innovative initiatives such as the 'One Belt, One Road'." Ban Ki-moon, chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia, said it was our responsibility to think, plan and act together in the face of challenges such as the new crown epidemic and climate change.
(Source: Xinhua News Agency)
