Speakers at a high profile dialogue on Thursday said that the Belt and Road (BR) initiative can play a vital role in accelerating global GDP growth.
Experts from several global think-tanks took part in the seminar held in Beijing in the run up to the second BR summit meeting to be inaugurated here on Friday.
It is not for the benefit of a single country; it is to benefit all the partner countries and to meet global deficit, senior Chinese minister Huang Kunming told the discussion.
So far, China has signed 175 documents with 129 countries under the BR initiative, added Mr Huang, who is a politburo member of the ruling Communist Party of China and is head of the publicity department.
“The BR aims to stop global hegemony and, instead of playing zero-same game, it is envisaged to ensure common development on the basis of mutual trust, respect and shared benefit among the BR members” Mr Huang said.
Saying that there are misunderstandings among many about the BR due to lack of understanding, the influential Chinese leader urged the think-tanks and the media to conduct objective researches on the BR impact.
He also mentioned that under the BR China is committed to implementing high quality infrastructure programme in partner countries.
He sought forward-looking recommendations from the civil society for the advancement of the BR, which he said will open up a new chapter in the history of development.
“Public good and interests of the member countries are the main focus of the BR, so the think tanks and the media should join hands to promote the BR in an objective way.” he added.
Zheng Peiyan, chairman of China Centre for Internationa Eonomic Exchange stressed the need for building consensus among the BR member countries.
He further said there should be open access to policy information regarding the BR, and bidding and tender process should be open to ensure transparency.
Sustainability and quality implementation and environment protection are the key to the success of the BR, he opined.
He urged the experts to create an window to let the world properly understand the importance of the BR to remove the misunderstanding about it.
Yokio Hatoyama, former prime minister of Japan, emphasised closer ties between Japan and China to gain trade benefit.
It is critical for creating an exclusive Asian community to ensure regional prosperity, he said.
President of Xinhua News Agency Cai Mingzhao said, 25 per cent of the world think tanks are in the BR belt. So they can help in creating a favorable environment for development through conducting objective studies on the BR.
Former Pakistan prime minister Shaukat Aziz said the BR can be a true game-changer for the development of the world.
Under the BR, China is expected to be connected to the mouth of the Gulf in much more efficient way.
He said a multipolar world is better than a unipolar world to promote peace.
“This initiative will boost growth, help job creation in the member countries” he noted.
The BR is an opportunity to implement the UN sustainable development goals among the member countries, he observed.
Former Czech prime minister Jiri Paroubek, among others, spoke on the occasion.
mirmostafiz@yahoo.com