Preparations underway for the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation

Editor's note: On November 17, 2018, President Xi Jinping announced that the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) would be held in Beijing in April 2019. The announcement drew the keen interest of both Chinese and foreign media. On March 29, Mr. Yang Jiechi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, who has overseen the preparations for the Forum, gave an interview to People's Daily and China Daily. He talked about the progress in pursuing Belt and Road cooperation and preparations for the Forum.

Q: Close to six years since it was put forth by President Xi Jinping, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has become a widely welcomed international public good with a far-reaching and profound impact on the world. What role has the BRI played in deepening international cooperation, promoting closer ties between countries, and boosting global growth? Is there any underlying link between the BRI and the vision of building a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind?

A: The BRI is an important initiative for international cooperation proposed by President Xi to enhance both China's development and its cooperation with global partners. The BRI represents a major breakthrough in both theory and practice, and it carries far-reaching significance.