On December 2, President and General Secretary Xi Jinping attended the fourth Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Work Symposium and delivered an important speech. During the meeting, he reviewed the achievements of the BRI, analyzed the current challenges and tasks, and presented a comprehensive plan to promote its high-quality development.
Since its launch in 2013, the BRI, under Xi Jinping’s leadership, has adhered to the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits. To date, more than 150 countries and over 30 international organizations have signed cooperation agreements under the initiative, resulting in thousands of practical projects. What began as a broad “sketch” has transformed into a meticulous “masterpiece,” strengthening friendships among participating countries and contributing to their economic and social development with China’s input.
The four previous BRI Work Symposia have marked significant milestones in the initiative’s progress:
- 2016: At the first symposium, Xi Jinping emphasized that the BRI had advanced faster and achieved more than expected since its inception.
- 2018: At the fifth anniversary symposium, he highlighted the transition of the initiative to a stage of rooted and sustainable development after laying its foundations.
- 2021: At the third symposium, Xi summed up the BRI’s eight years of achievements as “tangible and substantial,” and stressed the importance of continuing its high-quality development.
The year 2024 marks the beginning of the BRI’s second decade and is the first symposium held after the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Two key themes emerged during this meeting: high-quality development and addressing international challenges.
As the BRI transitions from its first decade of rapid growth to a new stage of high-quality development, the world is witnessing increasing unilateralism, protectionism, regional conflicts, and global volatility. In this changing international landscape, Xi Jinping underscored the importance of maintaining strategic resolve and managing risks to ensure the initiative’s sustainability.
Xi outlined three key objectives for the BRI:
- Deepening connectivity through infrastructure projects, harmonization of regulations, and strengthening people-to-people ties.
- Implementing both large-scale iconic projects and small, impactful social initiatives.
- Consolidating traditional areas of cooperation while steadily expanding into emerging fields.
He emphasized the importance of “working resolutely within a plan, connecting each phase to the next, and boldly overcoming risks,” reaffirming the core values of the initiative. The Belt and Road Initiative continues to represent the broadest common ground for building a more open, inclusive, and interconnected world. It offers new opportunities for the shared development of humanity and strives to bring mutual benefits to all.
https://www.moj.gov.cn/gwxw/ttxw/202412/t20241204_510605.html