Xi Jinping's Keynote Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Third Belt and Road International Cooperation Summit Forum (Full Text)

10 On October 18, President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the Third Belt and Road International Cooperation Summit Forum and delivered a keynote speech at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Photo by Wang Ye, Xinhua News Agency

Building a World That Is Open, Inclusive, Interconnected, and Develops Together

Keynote Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Third Belt and Road International Cooperation Summit Forum

Keynote Speech at the Opening Ceremony

(Beijing, October 18, 2023)

Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China

Your Excellencies, Heads of State and Government,

Heads of International Organizations,

Delegates from various countries,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen, friends:

Today, we are holding the opening ceremony of the Third Belt and Road International Cooperation Summit Forum. On behalf of the Chinese government and people, and in my own name, I extend a warm welcome to all our guests!

This year marks the 10th anniversary of my proposal of the Belt and Road Initiative. The initial intention behind this initiative was to draw inspiration from the ancient Silk Road, using connectivity as the main thread to strengthen policy communication, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, financial integration, and people-to-people connectivity with various countries, injecting new impetus into world economic growth, opening up new space for global development, and creating a new platform for international economic cooperation.

10 Over the years, we have adhered to our original aspirations and worked hand in hand to promote the Belt and Road Initiative from its inception to its vigorous development, achieving fruitful results.

Belt and Road cooperation has extended from the Eurasian continent to Africa and Latin America. More than 150 countries and over 30 international organizations have signed cooperation documents on jointly building the Belt and Road, three Belt and Road International Cooperation Summit Forums have been held, and more than 20 multilateral cooperation platforms in specialized fields have been established.

Belt and Road cooperation has transitioned from a broad outline to detailed implementation, transforming plans into reality, with a large number of landmark projects and people-oriented "small but beautiful" projects taking root.

Belt and Road cooperation has expanded from hard connectivity to soft connectivity. Joint consultation, joint construction, and shared benefits; openness, green development, and integrity; high standards, people's livelihood, and sustainability have become important guiding principles for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

10 Over the years, we have been committed to building a global interconnected network led by economic corridors, supported by major channels and information highways, and based on railways, highways, airports, ports, and pipelines, covering land, sea, air, and cyberspace. This has effectively promoted the large-scale flow of goods, capital, technology, and personnel among countries, and has revitalized the ancient Silk Road in the new era.

Trains running on railways, cars speeding on highways, international flights connecting countries, cargo ships cutting through waves, and convenient digital e-commerce have become the new-era equivalents of the camel bells and sails of international trade.

Numerous hydropower stations, wind power stations, and photovoltaic power stations, as well as oil and gas pipelines and increasingly intelligent and accessible power transmission networks, have ensured that energy shortages are no longer a bottleneck to development, enabling developing countries to realize their dreams of green and low-carbon development, becoming oases and beacons of sustainable development in the new era.

Modern airports and ports, smooth roads, and rapidly developing economic and trade cooperation zones are fostering new economic corridors and stimulating new growth drivers, becoming trade routes and stations of the new era.

Vibrant cultural years, art festivals, expositions, and exhibitions; unique Luban Workshops, "Silk Road Family," and "Bright Eyes" humanitarian exchange programs; and deepening exchanges among civil society organizations, think tanks, media, and youth are composing a new-era Silk Road symphony.

Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Belt and Road Initiative became a lifeline and a path to health. China provided hundreds of billions of masks and 2.3 billion doses of vaccines to various countries, and cooperated with more than 20 countries to produce vaccines, making unique contributions to combating the pandemic for Belt and Road partners. China also received valuable support from more than 70 countries during the most severe period of the pandemic.

Jointly building the Belt and Road adheres to the principles of joint consultation, joint construction, and shared benefits, transcending differences in civilizations, cultures, social systems, and stages of development. It has opened up new paths for interaction among countries, built a new framework for international cooperation, and brought together the greatest common denominator for human development.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends!

The achievements of the past 10 years are invaluable, and the experience is worth summarizing.

We have come to deeply understand that humanity is an interdependent community of shared future. A good world is essential for a good China, and a good China contributes to a better world. Through jointly building the Belt and Road, China's doors to opening up have become even wider, inland regions have transformed from "rearguards" to "vanguards," coastal regions have achieved even greater progress in opening up and development, and the connection between the Chinese market and the world market has become even closer. China is now a major trading partner for more than 140 countries and regions, and a major source of investment for an increasing number of countries. Both China's outbound investment and foreign investment in China demonstrate friendship and cooperation, reflecting confidence and hope.

We have come to deeply understand that only through win-win cooperation can we accomplish things, accomplish great things, and accomplish major things. As long as countries have the desire to cooperate and take coordinated actions, insurmountable obstacles can be overcome, landlocked countries can become land-linked countries, and underdeveloped areas can become prosperous highlands. Countries that have developed more rapidly should help those that are temporarily lagging behind. As long as we treat each other as friends and partners, respect, support, and achieve success together, giving roses will leave a fragrance in our hands, and helping others is also helping ourselves. Viewing the development of others as a threat and economic interdependence as a risk will not lead to better lives or faster development.

We have come to deeply understand that the Silk Road spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit, and win-win cooperation is the most important source of strength for jointly building the Belt and Road. I have said before that the reason why the ancient Silk Road is remembered in history is not because of warhorses and spears, but because of caravans and goodwill; not because of warships and cannons, but because of treasure ships and friendship. Jointly building the Belt and Road emphasizes the power of collective effort and mutual assistance, advocating for the well-being of both oneself and others, practicing mutual connectivity and mutual benefit, and pursuing common development and win-win cooperation. We oppose ideological confrontation, geopolitical games, and bloc politics; we oppose unilateral sanctions, economic coercion, and "decoupling and breaking chains."

10 The journey of the past 10 years has proven that jointly building the Belt and Road is on the right side of history, conforms to the logic of progress, and follows the right path. We must maintain our composure in the face of challenges, and with a sense of responsibility to history, to the people, and to the world, we will work together to address various global risks and challenges, creating a bright future of peace, development, cooperation, and win-win outcomes for future generations.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends!

Currently, the changes in the world, the changes in the times, and the changes in history are unfolding in unprecedented ways. China is comprehensively promoting the building of a strong nation and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernization. What we pursue is not modernization where China stands alone, but rather the hope that together with countries around the world, including many developing countries, we can achieve modernization together. World modernization should be modernization of peaceful development, modernization of mutual benefit and cooperation, and modernization of common prosperity. On the road ahead, there will be smooth sailing and there will be headwinds. We must adhere to goal-orientation and action-orientation, holding firm to our goals and sticking to our plans. China is willing to deepen its Belt and Road Initiative partnership with all parties, promote the Belt and Road Initiative into a new stage of high-quality development, and make unremitting efforts to achieve modernization in all countries of the world.

Here, I would like to announce eight initiatives that China supports for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation:

1. Building a three-dimensional interconnected network for the Belt and Road Initiative. China will accelerate the high-quality development of China-Europe freight trains, participate in the construction of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, hold the China-Europe Railway Express International Cooperation Forum, and work with all parties to build a new Eurasian continental logistics channel supported by direct rail and road transport. Actively promote the integrated development of ports, shipping, and trade in the Maritime Silk Road, and accelerate the construction of the New Land-Sea Corridor and the Air Silk Road.

2. Supporting the construction of an open world economy. China will create a pilot zone for Belt and Road e-commerce cooperation, and negotiate free trade agreements and investment protection agreements with more countries. We will fully abolish restrictions on foreign investment access in the manufacturing sector. We will actively align with high-standard international rules on trade and investment, further promote high-level opening up of cross-border service trade and investment, expand market access for digital products, and deepen reforms in areas such as state-owned enterprises, the digital economy, intellectual property rights, and government procurement. China will hold the Global Digital Trade Expo annually. In the next five years (2024-2028), China's total imports and exports of goods and services are expected to exceed US$32 trillion and US$5 trillion, respectively.

3. Conducting pragmatic cooperation. China will comprehensively promote landmark projects and small and beautiful livelihood projects. The China Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China will each establish RMB 350 billion financing windows, and the Silk Road Fund will add RMB 80 billion in funds, supporting Belt and Road projects in a market-oriented and commercial manner. The Business Leaders Summit held during this summit reached project cooperation agreements totaling US$97.2 billion. China will also implement 1,000 small livelihood assistance projects, promote Sino-foreign vocational education cooperation through Luban Workshops, and strengthen with all parties the security of Belt and Road projects and personnel.

4. Promoting green development. China will continue to deepen cooperation in green infrastructure, green energy, and green transportation, increase support for the Belt and Road Green Development International Alliance, continue to hold the Belt and Road Green Innovation Conference, and build a photovoltaic industry dialogue and exchange mechanism and a green and low-carbon expert network. Implement the Belt and Road green investment principles and provide training for 100,000 people from partner countries by 2030.

5. Promoting technological innovation. China will continue to implement the Belt and Road Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan, hold the first Belt and Road Science and Technology Exchange Conference, expand the number of jointly built laboratories with other parties to 100 in the next five years, and support young scientists from various countries to work in China for short periods. China will put forward a global initiative on artificial intelligence governance at this forum, and is willing to strengthen exchanges and dialogue with all countries to jointly promote the healthy, orderly, and safe development of global artificial intelligence.

6. Supporting people-to-people exchanges. China will hold the Liangzhu Forum to deepen cultural dialogue with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. Building on the already established Silk Road International Theatre, Arts Festival, Museum, Art Gallery, and Library Alliance, a Silk Road Tourism City Alliance will be established. Continue to implement the Silk Road Chinese Government Scholarship program.

7. Building a clean Belt and Road. China will jointly publish with its partners the "Belt and Road Initiative Integrity Construction Achievements and Prospects," launch the "Belt and Road Initiative Integrity Construction Advanced Principles," establish a Belt and Road enterprise integrity and compliance evaluation system, and cooperate with international organizations to conduct Belt and Road integrity research and training.

8. Improving the Belt and Road international cooperation mechanism. China will strengthen with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative the construction of multilateral cooperation platforms in areas such as energy, taxation, finance, green development, disaster reduction, anti-corruption, think tanks, media, and culture. Continue to hold the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and establish a secretariat for the forum.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends!

Ten years of wind and rain, ten years of spring and autumn. The Belt and Road Initiative originates from China, but its achievements and opportunities belong to the world. Let us keep in mind the people's expectations, bravely shoulder the historical burden, grasp the pulse of the times, carry forward the past and forge ahead into the future, deepen Belt and Road international cooperation, usher in a new development of higher quality and higher level for the Belt and Road Initiative, promote the realization of modernization in all countries of the world, build a world that is open, inclusive, interconnected, and develops together, and jointly promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind!

I wish the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation a complete success!

Thank you.