One high profile gathering that sent reverberating effects around the global community this year was the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held May this year in Beijing.

Chinese President Xi Jinping was joined by 30 world leaders, as well as representatives from over 130 countries in the forum, whose implications included drawing out principles and action plans for the project of the century.

Let’s revisit some of the highlights from largest diplomatic event initiated by China this year, as well as achievements by China and its Belt and Road partners these past four years.

On May 14 and 15, world leaders gathered in the Chinese capital for the very first Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation chaired by Chinese President Xi Jinping. 

Xi invited all parties to work with China in “meeting global economic challenges, realizing mutual benefit and win-win progress and moving forward to build a community with a shared future for mankind”, under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

The event won attention and headlines across the globe, and was covered by some 4,000 international journalists, as participants from over 130 countries took part in the high-level discussions about closer regional cooperation.

Proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative aims to revive ancient land and sea trade routes. The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road link China with many countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America via trade and infrastructure networks. 

According to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, the volume of trade between 25 Asian countries and China hit over one trillion US dollars in 2016, accounting for one third of China's total foreign trade. One cooperation framework spurring trade is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor: A series of infrastructure projects worth a staggering 46 billion US dollars, among which include the Gwadar port located at the juncture of Central Asia, the Middle East and the Indian Ocean.

Pakistan's ambassador to China, Mr. Massod Khalid  speaks highly of the project: "After two years of hard work, we reached a number of agreements of cooperation, the projects are now being actualized."

Ports facilitate maritime trade, and railways provide opportunities for merchants on land. Since 2017, more than 1,000 China-Europe Railway Express trains have started transporting goods between China and 108 cities in 20 European countries. Some European officials said the China-Europe Railway has brought tangible results to the European countries along the route. 

In 2016, the trade volume between China and African countries hit over 149 billion US dollars, making China Africa's largest trading partner for eight years in a row. The same year, the number of Chinese investment projects in Africa increased by 106% percent, and the amount of Chinese investment in Africa rose to around 67 billion US dollars.

The latest nations to express interest in the Belt and Road Initiative span across the Americas. Panama is keen to join the initiative and Chile says the strategy is in line with its own development concept.

"It's important that all nations should share the same concept of building a community for the future, one of interconnection and intercommunication, to promote the Belt and Road Initiative," said Chilean President Michelle Bachelet earlier this year.

Upon the conclusion of the Belt and Road Forum in May, President Xi Jinping outlined China's future emphasis for the initiative, including industrial development, financial integration and infrastructure construction, adding that China will continue to bear international responsibility, playing an active role in its promotion Initiative while injecting strong impetus to build a community with a shared future for mankind.