In his opening address to the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing on Sunday, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke of the need for harmonious coexistence, saying there is a "deficit" in peace, development and governance that needs to be overcome.
Editor's Note: Liu Qibao, head of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, made a keynote speech at the Thematic Session on Think Tank Exchanges of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on Sunday. The following is the full text:
It certainly is too early to tell how well the ambitious Belt and Road Initiative will work off the drawing board. For any undertaking of such magnitude, there are always more variables than certainties.
An animated rap video promoting the opening of the freight train route between China and Europe, which is viewed as a milestone in the Belt and Road Initiative, recently went viral on the internet and social media ahead of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation that was held in Beijing on Sunday and Monday.
Two thousand years ago the ancient network of trade routes known as the Silk Road stretched from China, through Asia, to as far as the United Kingdom. These routes heralded a new era of trade, opening up access to the East and West of the globe and resulting in booming trade and vibrant cultural exchanges.
When I first heard about the Belt and Road Initiative, I thought about something simple and straightforward - like a fragrant cup of tea.
Of all the hundreds of foreign participants at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing on Sunday and Monday, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni and Germany's Minister for Economics and Energy Brigitte Zypries could be the key messengers spreading the forum's consensus that tearing the walls apart can achieve common peace and prosperity.
Westerners may better remember the ancient terrestrial Silk Road, but a magnificent Chinese fleet, led by legendary explorer Zheng He reached East Africa as early as the 15th century. Six centuries later China and its companies are building up the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (as part of the Belt and Road Initiative). With ports, railroads and related economic activities, the maritime route will complement the land infrastructure along the Silk Road Economic Belt, which will connect Asia with Europe and Africa. What are the maritime route's main advantages and characteristics?
It seems suspicion is unavoidable for China: One moment it was accused of being a "free-rider" for allegedly doing too little; another moment it is being suspected, by the same people, of harboring ulterior motives for trying to fulfill what is expected of it as a "responsible power".
The decision by the ruling Minjoo Party in the Republic of Korea to push for a parliamentary hearing on the controversial deployment of a US missile defense system in the ROK is an important step toward de-escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
AS SHARED BICYCLES PROVE POPULAR, more companies are copying the model with things such as basketballs and umbrellas. However, some of these self-claimed "sharing" businesses are unlikely to succeed. Beijing News comments:
ON FRIDAY, A COMPUTER VIRUS CALLED "WANNACRY" hit about 100 countries worldwide. The ransom ware encrypted data on the computers, demanding payments of up to $600 to restore access. Beijing News comments:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.
License for publishing multimedia online 0108263 Registration Number: 20100000002731 
Raymond Zhou
Op Rana
Berlin Fang
Zhu Yuan
Huang Xiangyang
Chen Weihua
