The “Belt and Road” International Think Tank Cooperation Forum and the Second Silk Road (Xi’an) International Communication Conference main forum took place on October 15 in Xi’an, attracting over 300 participants, including diplomats, think tank experts, and media representatives from 50 countries. The gathering focused on discussing the communication strategies surrounding the Belt and Road Initiative and fostering deeper international dialogue.
In an interview, Polish economist Grzegorz Kowalczyk emphasized the importance of exchanging technology and students to enhance mutual understanding, which he believes is essential in today’s context. “We should learn from China’s successful experiences as well as from other countries,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, Xu Qingqi, Chairman of the New Asian Strategic Research Center in Malaysia, highlighted China’s role in not only upgrading hard infrastructure in partner countries but also collaborating in fields like artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud computing. He pointed out that these partnerships help establish a globally cooperative digital governance framework built on trust.
Zafar, a special assistant to the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, expressed his optimism about entering the second golden decade of the Belt and Road Initiative. He stated, “Human capital is the most vital resource for its development, and Xi’an boasts abundant human resources.” He urged think tanks from all countries to collaborate in researching and sharing the various benefits that the initiative brings.
At the forum, scholars from various nations provided insights on enhancing policy communication and deepening international cooperation for the high-quality progression of the Belt and Road Initiative. Attendees expressed their hopes for increased grassroots exchanges among countries, leveraging diverse cultural backgrounds and social resources to enrich human civilization.
Fu Hua, President of Xinhua News Agency and Chairman of the Belt and Road International Think Tank Cooperation Committee, remarked during his address that the Belt and Road Initiative has proven to yield tangible benefits for nations and positively contribute to solving global development challenges and improving governance systems. He believes it has opened a new path for humanity to achieve modernization collectively.
The forum was co-hosted by Xinhua News Agency, the Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, and the Shaanxi Provincial Government. During the opening ceremony, a bilingual think tank report titled “Eight Initiatives Establish a Good Start for the New Decade of Belt and Road Cooperation” was released globally.
