Editor's note: Xin Ge, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is an associate professor at the School of Public Economics and Administration, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) has been taking place in Beijing from October 17 to 18, marking the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China attended the forum's opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech.

The forum has attracted a significant number of diplomats to Beijing, including more than 20 heads of state and government, and representatives from more than 140 countries and 30 international organizations. In addition to the opening ceremony, the forum also included three high-level sessions on connectivity, green development, and the digital economy and six seminars.

As emphasized by President Xi, since its inception a decade ago, more than 150 countries have signed agreements under the aegis of the BRI, and Belt and Road cooperation has advanced from "sketching the outline" to "filling in the details," and transformed blueprints into veritable projects.

A decade ago, in response to the evolving global landscape and the aspirations of the international community, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forth the visionary Belt and Road Initiative, with a firm commitment to safeguarding the common interests of humanity.

At that time, the prevailing economic globalization dominated by a limited number of countries had failed to generate inclusive development, exacerbating disparities between the rich and the poor, the developed and the developing nations, as well as within individual countries. The BRI was conceived to address such pressing global challenges while ultimately striving to foster a global community of shared future.

Over the past decade of cooperation, the BRI has expanded its reach from the Eurasian continent to encompass Africa and Latin America, witnessing the successful implementation of signature projects and "small yet smart" livelihood programs. BRI now stands as the world's largest platform for international cooperation with the broadest coverage ranging from infrastructure connectivity to financial integration, policy coordination, closer people-to-people exchanges, etc.

The ever-growing list of participating partners is a testament to the fact that the BRI transcends the boundaries of an exclusive club or a narrow clique. It has broken free from conventional geopolitical calculations, forging a new paradigm for international collaboration. As stated in the recently published white paper entitled "Belt and Road Initiative: A Key Pillar of the Global Community of Shared Future" on October 10, 2023, the BRI is "a public road open to all, not a private path owned by any single party."

In summary, the initiative has promoted the path to global well-being, the path to peace, the path to prosperity, the path to openness, the path to innovation and the path to social progress, as noted in the white paper.

To facilitate future BRI cooperation of the utmost caliber and ensure widespread benefits for countries and peoples, President Xi Jinping articulated eight guiding principles, which in my opinion can be encapsulated by the following words: connectivity, openness, cooperation, greenness, innovation, exchange, integrity, and institution-building.

Firstly, China is committed to establishing a multidimensional Belt and Road connectivity network, encompassing the development of the China-Europe Railway Express, the trans-Caspian international transportation corridor, and collaborative efforts in constructing a new logistics corridor spanning the Eurasian continent, interconnected through direct rail and road transportation.

Secondly, China pledges unwavering support for an open global economy, with its total trade in goods and services projected to surpass $32 trillion and $5 trillion respectively during the 2024-2028 period. Notably, all restrictions on foreign investment access within the manufacturing sector will be completely abolished.

Thirdly, China is determined to execute actionable cooperation initiatives for the BRI. President Xi underlined that the China Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China will establish separate financing windows, each endowed with 350 billion yuan (about $48.8 billion), and an additional infusion of 80 billion yuan (about $10.9 billion) will be injected into the Silk Road Fund.

Fourthly, China will deepen collaboration in vital domains such as green infrastructure, green energy, and green transportation, while concurrently amplifying support for the BRI International Green Development Coalition.

Fifthly, China will continue to implement the Belt and Road Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation Action Plan while hosting the inaugural Belt and Road Conference on Science and Technology Exchange. Over the next five years, the number of joint laboratories established with other Belt and Road partners will be increased to 100.

Sixthly, China remains committed to advancing people-to-people exchanges, including incisive dialogues on civilizations with BRI partner nations and an array of cultural alliances and programs.

Seventhly, integrity-based cooperation will be promoted. Together with its cooperation partners, China will unveil the Achievements and Prospects of Belt and Road Integrity Building, as well as its High-Level Principles, and establish the Integrity and Compliance Evaluation System for Companies Involved in Belt and Road Cooperation.

Lastly, China will reinforce the institutional building for international Belt and Road cooperation. Working alongside partner countries, China shall strengthen the creation of multilateral cooperation platforms pertaining to energy, taxation, finance, green development, disaster reduction, anti-corruption, think tanks, media, culture and other fields.

Presently, the world is experiencing a new era characterized by turbulence and transformation. Rivalry and competition among major countries are escalating, leading to a tense geopolitical landscape. Cold War mentalities and zero-sum thinking are resurfacing, while unilateralism, protectionism, and hegemonism are on the rise. These multifaceted trends pose unprecedented challenges for humanity at large. Against this intricate backdrop, the high-quality BRI assumes heightened significance and is an initiative of genuine global importance.

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