Connectivity holds the key to a better, brighter future

Europeans, in general, blame Wall Street's greed for the 2008-09 global financial crisis. A decade since the crisis wreaked havoc across the world, the US administration's "America First" policy is once again causing worldwide turmoil.

One of the brightest lights shining in these strange times is the Belt and Road Initiative, which President Xi Jinping proposed five years ago. Back in 2013, the world was gradually recovering from the shocks of the global financial crisis, but global economic recovery was relatively slow. By aiming to boost policy coordination among countries, and expedite connectivity by building and improving infrastructure, the Belt and Road Initiative injected new vitality into the economies of Asia, Europe and Africa and brought them closer, which accelerated the global recovery.

Through this global public good, China wants to make global economic growth sustainable, which is significant considering that China has been contributing about one-third to global growth for a decade.