Silk Road int'l expo opens in China's Xi'an

XI'AN -- A Silk Road expo opened Saturday in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, with the topic of poverty relief as one of its highlights.

Themed "New Era, New Pattern, and New Development," the Silk Road International Exposition has attracted more than 200 enterprises from 25 countries and regions such as Russia, the United States and Cambodia.

More than 30 activities and exhibitions will be staged during the five-day event, including forums, conferences, and investment and trade activities. An international forum on poverty relief will be a highlight.

Li Jianyi, deputy director of the expo's executive committee, said the forum on poverty relief would center around China's achievements in poverty alleviation and reduction, and international cooperation in this regard.

China lifted 13.86 million people in rural areas out of poverty last year and aims to lift no less than 10 million people out of poverty this year.

It aims to eradicate poverty by 2020, the target year to complete the building of a "moderately prosperous society in all respects."

"In addition to poverty relief, we will also host a number of important conferences on business cooperation, trends in urbanization, free trade and education at the expo," Li said. "Through these activities, we hope to promote cooperation and common development among countries and regions participating in the Belt and Road Initiative."

The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and beyond along the ancient Silk Road trade routes for common development and prosperity.