World leaders lauded the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) at the opening ceremony of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on Wednesday in Beijing.

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech at the event and announced eight major steps China will take to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

Belt and Road cooperation seeks to deliver a good life not only to people of just one country, but to people in other countries as well, he said, adding that such cooperation promotes connectivity, mutual benefit, common development, cooperation and win-win outcomes.

Xi said China will work with all parties involved to usher Belt and Road cooperation into a new stage of high-quality development, and make relentless efforts to achieve modernization for all countries.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed confidence that the BRI will continue to find solutions to the world's challenges.

Speaking highly of the initiative, Putin said Russia and China share the desire for universal sustainable and long-term economic progress and social welfare, while respecting civilizational diversity and the right of each state to adopt its own development path.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said China plays an important role in global security, adding that the BRI demonstrates the economic strength of China and has become a platform for development and a global public good for developing countries.

Kazakhstan is committed to opening more trade routes and a third cross-border route will open, he said, calling for greater cooperation in aligning customs policies and avoiding protectionism.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo expressed hope that synergies of development under the BRI can continue, while Argentinian President Alberto Fernandez said the BRI has become a promising international initiative for global cooperation.  

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said the BRI has met Africa's high demand for dignified and sustainable development projects.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said many countries that struggle without development support and the infrastructure emergency must be addressed. "Together, with the contribution of the Belt and Road Initiative, we can turn the infrastructure emergency into an infrastructure opportunity," Guterres said.

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover: The opening ceremony of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, China, October 18, 2023. /CFP)