China will continue to work with other countries to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation by building a closer partnership for green and sustainable development, said Chinese President Xi Jinping during a speech at the opening plenary of the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference on Tuesday.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a public road open to all, not a private path owned by one single party. Belt and Road cooperation pursues development aimed at mutual benefits, President Xi said.

"We will follow the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and champion the philosophy of open, green and clean cooperation, in a bid to make Belt and Road development high-standard, people-centered and sustainable," he said.

"We will build a closer partnership by working with all sides to promote 'hard connectivity' of infrastructure and 'soft connectivity' of rules and standards, ensure unimpeded channels for trade and investment cooperation, and actively develop Silk Road e-commerce," Xi said.

China will also build a closer partnership for green development. According to Xi, China will strengthen cooperation on green infrastructure, green energy and green finance, and improve the BRI International Green Development Coalition, the Green Investment Principles for the Belt and Road Development, and other multilateral cooperation platforms.

Xi said China remains committed to building a closer partnership for openness and inclusiveness. A World Bank report suggests that by 2030, the Belt and Road projects could help lift 7.6 million people out of extreme poverty and 32 million people from moderate poverty across the world.

The BRI, proposed by China in 2013, refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe, Africa and beyond.