UN chief: Belt and Road Initiative China's new vision to global development

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres takes questions from UN-based Chinese news outlets to discuss the Belt and Road Initiative at the UN headquarters in New York on May 8, 2017. [Photo provided to China Plus]

The UN Secretary-General has told Chinese media that the Belt and Road Initiative is a demonstration of new vision that China has brought to global development, and he said it could help address global problems and enhance international cooperation.

Before heading for Beijing to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on May 14th-15th, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a group of UN-based Chinese news outlets on Monday that he's excited to participate in the forum, and that he has high expectations for the Belt and Road Initiative.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres takes questions from UN-based Chinese news outlets to discuss the Belt and Road Initiative at the UN headquarters in New York on May 8, 2017. [Photo provided to China Plus]

"When one looks at the Belt and Road Initiative, we see very important contribution to this solidarity in addressing global problems with International cooperation, where China plays a very central role. So I'm very happy that I will have the chance to participate in this Belt and Road Summit. We are at the beginning of its implementation, but I think that there is now enormous amount of enthusiasm, and so I must say that I have very high expectations,"Guterres said. 

The UN chief said that the upcoming forum would bring a better understanding to the world of China's Belt and Road Initiative:"This is an excellent opportunity to see all the projects that the Belt and Road Initiative is developing, which are very important infrastructure projects in different parts of the world. And so I'm in extreme enthusiasm participating in this discussion to see how we can extract the maximum possible value of the Belt and Road Initiative for global inclusive and sustainable development."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres leaves a congratulatory note, wishing success for the upcoming Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. [China Plus/Qian Shanming]

Guterres said there are many people questioning and opposing globalization and free trade, as so many people have been left behind by the present trends in development. He said governments and international organizations have to define projects and programs that allow for those people to see that they are cared for and they can be integrated into the global economy. The Belt and Road Initiative, as the UN chief put it, is one such encouraging move.

"In a moment in which many doubt about globalization, in the moment in which many people doubt about free trade, in the moment many people doubt about, the fact that many was left behind by the present trends of development. We need initiatives of international solidarity to make people believe that there is a better globalization, to make people believe that free trade can meet the benefit of all, to make people believe that's possible not to leave anyone behind."

Guterres stressed that the solution for the negative aspects of globalization is not to be against globalization or free trade, but to make corrections to problem areas in free trade to benefit all.

Guterres said that China's Belt and Road Initiative could be an important instrument to help achieve the UN 2030 sustainable development goals, and also to help states, especially states in the developing world to be able to overcome their own challenges.

UN Headquarters in New York on May 8th, 2017. [China Plus/Qian Shanming]

"Well the two things move in the same direction. The investments that are made, special investments in infrastructure to facilitate contact among peoples, to facilitate trade, to facilitate development are an important part of the Agenda 2030, and it relate to several of the objectives of the sustainable development. "

Guterres pledged that the UN organizations would actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative in the future, since the Initiative is in line with the spirit of the UN Charter and the UN sustainable development goals.