Young people the future drivers of Belt and Road

In most of the countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road which together form the Belt and Road Initiative, including China, young people aged between 10 and 24 years make up about one-fifth of the population and are a critical group within their societies.

It means that for an initiative that seeks to accelerate shared growth and sustainable development around the world through enhanced policy coordination, connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration and people-to-people bonds, young people must be both active participants and significant beneficiaries.

Further, if the Belt and Road Initiative is to meet its aspirations as an impactful long-term global development and cooperation strategy, it needs the young people of today to own, refresh and propel it well into the future. As UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has pointed out: "Young people decide whether we achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals." Fortunately, in line with Chinese President Xi Jinping's view that the youth are "the hope of a country and the future of a nation", the initiative incorporates youth exchanges and education as one of several priority actions for achieving its ambitious objectives.