It has been five years since Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which is a revival of the old shipping lane and one essential part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). 

Ministers from the Philippines and Laos have all spoken highly of the role the BRI plays in promoting regional collaboration, and the benefits it brings to the member countries.

"My grandfather was from Fujian Province in southeast China. He took the old Maritime Silk Road to the Philippines. And I'm taking the BRI back here in China," said Martin Andanar, secretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office of the Philippines.

Andanar was speaking on the special program Vision into Reality, co-produced by CGTN, PTV from the Philippines and LNTV from Laos. He joined CGTN host Tian Wei and LNTV news anchor Silaphet Souphaksone to co-host the program in Beijing.

Three guests were also invited to discuss the concrete BRI cooperation and projects, namely Ivan Frank Olea, minister and consul general of the Embassy of the Philippines in China, Lattanamany Khounnivong, vice minister of Public Works and Transport of Laos, and Professor Fu Jun, academic dean of the Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development under Peking University.

"What comes to my mind is the century-old friendship that we have had with China. Our ties date back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Not so many people know that the first Chinatown in the world is in the Philippines, established in 1594. The Philippines plays a key role in ancient Maritime Silk Road, because (of) Chinese goods, through the Philippines, finding the way to South America," Olea said about the Philippine's role in the ancient Maritime Silk Road.

The Philippine government is very keen on participating in the BRI. In fact, President Duterte is also pushing for the "Build Build Build" program, which is in tandem with the BRI. Two months ago, the Binondo-intramuros Bridge and Estrella-pantaleon Bridge over the Pasig River in Manila broke ground with the help of Chinese funds. Another major project funded by China is the Bicol Express Railway Revival Project, with the signing ceremony expected next month.

Laos and China have also been enjoying fruitful cooperation in a wide range of fields. China helped Laos launch its first communications satellite in November 2015. The Vientiane Saysettha Development Zone was jointly initiated by the governments of both China and Laos. And the China-Laos railway project, which is expected to be completed in 2021, will greatly improve the transportation within Laos.

Lattanamany Khounnivong, who also leads the Lao-China railway construction committee, said the project would reduce the travel cost and distance by half.

"That creates the opportunity for Laos to produce agricultural products and sell to China with cheaper price. At the same time, the project will realize the strategy of the government to transfer the status of Laos as a land-locked country to a land-linked country," said Vice Minister Khounnivong.

The Belt and Road Special, Vision into Reality, will be aired on CGTN at 22:15 BJT on October 3. It will also be broadcast on PTV-4 and LNTV-1 the same day.