China expects the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) to promote high-quality cooperation and become a milestone in processing the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday

Wang made the remarks at a press conference in Beijing on the sidelines of the second session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC).

Wang confirmed the second BRF will be held in April in Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony, give keynote speech and chair the Leaders' Roundtable Summit during the forum.

The BRF is one of the most important international events hosted by China in 2019, he added.

Wang said more heads of states and heads of government will attend the second BRF and the forum will be much bigger, with thousands of representatives from more than 100 of countries set to attend. 

Moreover, more side events focusing on practical cooperation will be held during the coming BRF, including 12 sideline forums and a conference organized for the business community will be held for the first time, he added.

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Proposed by China in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, and aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa through the ancient trade routes of the Silk Road.