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.

"Along with other countries, China will help create a fast and convenient transport network, including rail, road and air transportation," Zhang said.

The forum is one of the national platforms for promoting development of China's vast western provinces, as well as linking it to regions in Central Asia. Government officials, representatives of enterprises and researchers from more than 70 countries and regions are taking part in the expo, which ends on Monday.

Lou Qinjian, governor of Shaanxi province, urged the construction of a convenient transport network as being vital to developing the region.

"As the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, which dates back 2,052 years, Shaanxi will spare no effort to make the province into a new starting point of the Silk Road economic belt," Lou said.

Mahesh Kumar Maskey, Nepal's ambassador to China, said: "The concept of building the Silk Road economic belt will benefit more than 300 million people along the belt, which has gained great attention from related countries."

"Nepal hopes to grasp the development opportunity and have cooperation with Xi'an and other Chinese cities and regions in more fields," he said.

Zhang Junkuo, deputy director general of the Development and Research Center of the State Council, said the building of the Silk Road economic belt is a historic opportunity for China and the countries along the road to develop.

But he warned the similarity of investment fields of China and other countries in Central Asia, the investment planning must not be redundant.

Contact the writers at hena@chinadaily.com.cn, zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn, and luhongyan@chinadaily.com.cn

Shatgeldi Bozaganov, an artist from Turkmenistan, maintains a wool carpet featuring a precious Akhal-Teke horse at the Silk Road International Exposition in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, on Friday. The exposition and the 18th Investment and Trade Forum for Cooperation between East and West China is designed to boost cooperation between China and Central Asian countries along the ancient Silk Road. Jiang Dong / China Daily