In 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the concept of the China-ASEAN Community of Shared Future were introduced in the same year. Since then, the vision of the BRI has facilitated extensive cooperation between China and ASEAN in areas such as tourism, education, culture, and sports, achieving significant results in people-to-people exchanges.
The year 2024 marks the beginning of a new golden decade for the BRI. On November 22, the Belt and Road People-to-People Bond Forum opened in Nanning. The theme of the forum was “Strengthening People-to-People Bonds to Support the High-Quality Development of the Belt and Road.” The event was organized by the Western Returned Scholars Association (WRSA, also known as the Chinese Overseas-Educated Scholars Association). The forum included a keynote session and three parallel sessions. Topics discussed during the forum included “People-to-People Bonds and Building the China-ASEAN Community of Shared Future,” “Technological Innovation and High-Quality Development of the Belt and Road,” and “Cultural Exchange and Civilizational Dialogue among Belt and Road Countries.”
Ding Zhongli, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and President of the WRSA, emphasized in his opening speech that the BRI is a significant decision aimed at promoting cooperation and joint development between China and the world. He stated that the forum seeks to gather collective wisdom and strength to advance the development of the BRI.
Ding Zhongli also highlighted the vital role of overseas-educated Chinese nationals in serving as a bridge between China and the world. He encouraged them to continue sharing the story of the BRI and promoting intercultural and inter-civilizational communication.
The forum brought together over 150 participants, including representatives from BRI partner countries in Southeast Asia, members of the WRSA, officials from the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and other representatives.