The Belt and Road Initiative wins global respect

World
Europe

Editor’s Note: Liu Zhiqin is a senior fellow at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies of Renmin University. The article reflects the author's opinion, and not necessarily the view of CGTN.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been ongoing for five years. In the past few years, the BRI has achieved great progress and won notable respect from all over the world.

Moreover, the initiative has made marvelous success and become a very important motion to boost globalization in five aspects.

1. The BRI is a "model of globalization." It has been successfully transformed from China's initiative to a global initiative. Five years ago, when President Xi Jinping announced the BRI to the world, many people thought it would only be a proposal made by China, and would only serve China's own interests.

But now people are "shocked" by the initiative's rapid development in the regions and countries involved in it. In only five years, the BRI has become a global initiative, not only belonging to China but to the rest of the world as well.

2. The BRI has become an effective "platform" for all countries to conduct cooperation and take joint efforts to develop economies. This platform is valuable for all partners to perform their roles in various aspects in global affairs.

China has signed hundreds of contracts with countries along BRI routes in different sections. These contracts will help these countries to lift their pressures in social and economic development, which will improve their economic and living conditions.

Journalists take pictures outside the venue of a summit at the Belt and Road Forum on May 15, 2017, in Beijing, China /VCG Photo

3. The BRI has become as a safe "bridge" for all partners to raise funds and technical support from China and other countries. This "bridge" encourages cooperation and mutual help.

This will greatly enhance the capability in manufacturing and real economy development, especially for countries with poor infrastructure and cultural conditions, to catch up with others to strengthen competitiveness and openness of the market. The "bridge" will lead the world to prosperity and fairness for a better life.

4. The BRI can be considered as a global "school" that can educate and train millions of people around the world. Through project implementation, many people in different countries can work together and learn from each other. Many of them will become experts and cooperative forces to support the industrialization of their own countries.

In these "schools," people could learn the most advanced technology and management techniques. Each BRI project can provide training to local engineers, technicians and even project managers. They will become a new working force for each country and they will be the real treasures of their country.

5. The BRI has also become an "incubator" for more and more new projects. For example, when railway construction takes place in a country, small businesses, such as local schools, hospitals and sport centers, related to the construction also boom near the site. In that way, the BRI acts like an "incubator" to provide more input and make people more dynamic and live with new ideas.

The "incubator" can play an important role in many African countries. It will help different industries to develop in the continent.

The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in Beijing has drawn great attention around the world. It also offered a good chance to showcase the success of the BRI. We are fully convinced that the BRI will provide a broader and brighter future for the whole world.

Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks during the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation at the Great Hall of the People on September 4, 2018, in Beijing, China /VCG Photo

The real purpose of the BRI is to make "hundreds of flowers bloom together," not make China the only one. That means if the whole world is a garden, we won't make China the sole flower to bloom beautifully, we want to see different flowers bloom as well.

And we believe that the BRI can fertilize different flowers (countries) to make our world garden more beautiful and peaceful!

China is trying its best to meet its goal: the whole world can share its prosperity and share the advantages of its development. With the Belt and Road Initiative, this dream could become a reality.