Details of Belt and Road Forum revealed, role of think tanks highlighted

A press conference about Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation is held in Beijing on Wednesday, May 10th, 2017. [Photo: China.com.cn]

China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), along with other organizers of the upcoming Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, revealed some details and logistics about the two-day summit at a press conference on Wednesday. 

“The high-level meetings and discussions will be attended by more than 1,500 guests, including more than 850 international attendees from some 70 organizations in over 130 countries. The discussion will focus on eight areas, namely, infrastructure, industrial investment, trade, energy and resources, financial cooperation, cultural and educational exchanges, eco-environment and maritime cooperation,” explained Wang Xiaotao, Deputy Director of the NDRC. 

Wang Xiaotao, Deputy Director of the NDRC, speaks during a press conference about Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing on Wednesday, May 10th, 2017. [Photo: China.com.cn]

Wang said the foreign guests include government officials; leaders of international and regional organizations, as well as financial institutions; business people; scholars and those working in the arts, technology, healthcare and media. 

The forum is set to take place in the Chinese capital between May 14th and 15th. Wang said it will feature three main components – an opening ceremony, high-level meetings and discussions and then a leaders’ roundtable summit.

According to Wang, Chinese President Xi Jinping will address the opening ceremony and host the leaders’ summit, while the high-level meetings will include one plenary meeting and six separate paralleled discussions, which Wang called the “one plus six” model. These discussions will focus on policy coordination, facilities connectivity, open trade, financial integration and people-to-people bonds, said Wang. 

These paralleled meetings are expected to produce a number of concrete results to facilitate cooperation along the “Belt and Road” routes. 

“During the meetings, China and other ‘Belt and Road’ countries will sign a batch of agreements that are expected to improve people’s livelihood. A number of action plans aimed at facilitating people-to-people exchanges will be announced. We will also review and launch a proposal to encourage more people along the routes to join our efforts to build a better future for all,” said Zou Yonghong, an official with the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). 

Besides those of governments, international organizations, NGOs and media, the role of think tanks in promoting the “Belt and Road” initiative was also highlighted during Wednesday’s briefing. 

Guan Ping, an official with the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the CPC, said more than 100 reports related to the “Belt and Road” initiative have been published by nearly 50 Chinese and international think tanks. According to the official, one of the six parallel discussion meetings in Beijing will be devoted to those representing various think tanks. Guan said think tanks could further contribute to the expansion of the initiative by providing strategic recommendations, promoting innovative ideas, enhancing understanding and facilitating communication and dialogue.  

Since the “Belt and Road” initiative was first proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in late 2013, it has already produced visible and concrete results along its paths in participating countries. The organizers of the forum said they are hoping to use the forum to further enhance communication among those countries. 

"The Chinese side hopes that based on the forum, we can establish a more open and effective international cooperation platform, which will help construct a more closely knit network of partners with the principles of negotiation, joint efforts and sharing. That could lead to a more just, reasonable and balanced global governance system based on the ideas of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation," said Wang. 

Currently, cooperation deals have been signed among 40 different countries under the "Belt and Road" initiative.