AsiaNet 200451

XI'AN, China, Oct. 17, 2024 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--The Belt and Road Forum for International Think Tank Cooperation & the 2nd Silk Road (Xi'an) International Communication Forum kicked off in Xi'an City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province on October 15.

With the theme of promoting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation to facilitate shared modernization, the event gathered over 300 diplomats, think tank experts, and media reporters from more than 50 countries to engage in exchanges and discussions.

In his speech, Zhao Yide, the secretary of the CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee, highlighted the remarkable changes that have taken place at Xi'an, the eastern starting point of the ancient Silk Road, in parallel with the vibrant development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

He expressed his hope that friends from both home and abroad would pay more attention to and promote Shaanxi, actively supporting policy coordination, connectivity of facilities, smooth trade, financial integration, and people-to-people exchanges in a bid to contribute to the high-quality development of the BRI.

Fu Hua, president of Xinhua News Agency and chairman of the Belt and Road Studies Network, said in his opening address that the BRI has been proven to not only bring tangible benefits to countries around the world but also contribute to addressing global development challenges and improving the global governance system.

The BRI has opened up a new path for humanity to achieve shared modernization, Fu said.

Jointly hosted by Xinhua News Agency, the CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee, and the People's Government of Shaanxi Province, the three-day event includes field research, cultural exchanges, and parallel forums, with participants also visiting various locations in Shaanxi.

During the opening ceremony, a think tank report titled "'Eight Major Steps' Heralds Promising New Decade of Belt and Road Cooperation," was released globally in both Chinese and English.

Xi'an, the capital city of Shaanxi Province, is the eastern starting point of the ancient Silk Road and an important node city for the joint development of the Belt and Road Initiative and implementing its eight major steps. It is here that the Chang'an China-Europe freight train embarks on its journey to Europe, spreading the spirit of the Silk Road and advancing the opening-up and deepening of the initiative in the West.

Source: The People's Government of Shaanxi Province