Officials call for smooth relations on economic belt

Editor's note: During his visit to Kazakhstan in September, President Xi Jinping proposed that China and Central Asia join hands to build a Silk Road economic belt to boost cooperation. The idea has been widely echoed in Central Asian countries, becoming an encouraging blueprint for Chinese areas along the Silk Road that has linked Asia and Europe for more than 2,000 years. In the next three weeks, China Daily reporters will travel along the belt in China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkey. They will show the progress and expectations of the countries, businesses and peoples on the route.

Joint efforts by Central Asian countries along the ancient Silk Road to improve infrastructure, especially convenient transportation, were urged by top officials attending the 18th Investment and Trade Forum for Cooperation between East and West China and the Silk Road International Exposition in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, on Friday.

"Countries along the ancient Silk Road have common interests in economic development and cooperation in many fields," Zhang Baowen, vice-chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, said in a keynote speech at the forum.