Forum will help revive Silk Road

The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region covers one-sixth of China's land area and one-fourth of its land border. Six decades of fast-paced development have transformed Xinjiang into an important window of the country's opening-up, and an indispensable strategic and protective shield in western China.

President Xi Jinping proposed the "Belt and Road Initiative" in 2013 that connects the past with the present, as well as China with the rest of the world. The initiative is not only in line with the development trend of modern times, but also welcomed by countries along the belt and road. The main goal of the initiative is to promote common development and communication among different countries and regions.

Xinjiang is entering a new phase of development, and the central government attaches great importance to its role in deepening the country's communication and cooperation with Central Asia, South Asia and West Asia, as well as Europe and Africa. The region also has the potential to become an important transport hub on the China-proposed Silk Road Economic Belt.