By Aidoghie Paulinus
Chinese President Xi Jinping, on December 2, 2024, stressed comprehensively advancing high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Xi made the remarks while addressing the fourth symposium on Belt and Road construction work.
He said it was imperative to strengthen strategic confidence, maintain strategic focus and act courageously with a sense of responsibility to create a brighter future for Belt and Road cooperation.
Xi stated that since the initiative was put forward in 2013, major achievements have been made in Belt and Road cooperation, which contributed to enhancing China’s friendship with participating countries and promoting their economic and social development.
Noting that the world has entered a new period of turbulence and change in recent years, he urged efforts to appropriately manage all types of risks and challenges and effectively address the impact of geopolitical conflicts, while advancing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.
Xi further said it was necessary to properly handle the relationship between strengthening participating countries’ sense of fulfillment and ensuring the benefits for China.
He called for concrete measures to safeguard China’s overseas interests.
So far, China has signed BRI cooperation documents with over 150 countries and over 30 international organizations.
Data from the Ministry of Commerce showed that by the end of 2023, Chinese companies had established 17,000 overseas enterprises in countries participating in the BRI, with direct investment stock exceeding 330 billion U.S. dollars, while the overseas economic and trade cooperation zones built under the initiative had created 530,000 local jobs.