During the daily press conference on December 6, a journalist highlighted significant progress achieved this year in advancing high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), noting its growing attention from the international community. It was mentioned that China has been promoting global infrastructure development, and the spokesperson was asked for comments on this and an overview of the initiative’s achievements this year.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian stated that this year’s high-quality Belt and Road cooperation has achieved tangible and meaningful results. China signed cooperation agreements with many countries under the BRI, established the Belt and Road International Cooperation Forum Secretariat, and set up over 30 multilateral cooperation platforms in specialized fields such as energy, taxation, and disaster management. The China-Europe Caspian Sea direct express route was launched, with China-Europe freight trains completing a total of 100,000 trips. Additionally, the Western Land-Sea New Corridor transported over 800,000 containers this year, connecting to 542 ports in 125 countries and regions worldwide.
Lin Jian noted that over the years, the Belt and Road Initiative has brought transformative infrastructure projects to various countries. Examples include a cross-sea bridge in the Maldives, an electrified railway in Africa, the revitalization of Greece’s Piraeus Port, and Peru’s Chancay Port, now South America’s first smart and green port. Projects like the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway in Indonesia, which ushered the country into the high-speed rail era, and the China-Laos Railway, fulfilling Laos’ railway dream, were highlighted. Additionally, people-oriented projects such as Luban Workshops, mushroom cultivation technology, water purification system upgrades, and solar power plants have significantly improved local living conditions.
Lin Jian conveyed remarks made by President Xi Jinping at the recent fourth Belt and Road Construction Work Symposium, emphasizing that the scope, scale, and level of BRI cooperation have consistently expanded, enhancing its international influence and cohesion. These achievements have played a crucial role in fostering friendships with partner countries and contributing to their economic and social development.
Lin Jian reiterated that the goal of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation is to provide partner countries with opportunities for greater global connectivity and to bring hope for development and revitalization to the Global South. He expressed China’s commitment to working with all parties to uphold the principles of consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, aiming to transform the Belt and Road into a “Path of Happiness” benefiting the world and a “Dream Factory” for achieving shared modernization.
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