Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 25

The Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization calls for “improving the mechanisms for high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative”. This has charted the course for achieving higher-quality and higher-level development in Belt and Road cooperation.

For more than a decade, Belt and Road cooperation has delivered significant results, gaining recognition as a valuable international public good and a platform for global cooperation. So far, China has signed over 200 cooperation documents with more than 150 partner countries and over 30 international organizations. Thousands of cooperation projects have been launched, comprehensively advancing policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and people-to-people bonds. Under the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, Belt and Road cooperation has evolved from  sketching the outline to filling in the details, and from physical connectivity of infrastructure to institutional connectivity of rules and standards. This has created new drivers for global economic growth, new prospects for global development, and new platforms for international economic cooperation.

At present, Belt and Road cooperation has entered a new phase of high-quality development. It is essential to remain focused on goal-oriented and action-driven strategies, and to fully implement the eight major measures for supporting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, thus ensuring its steady and sustained progress. To this end, priority should be given to the following five tasks.

First, building a multidimensional network to connect countries along the Belt and Road. This includes deepening infrastructure cooperation with key partner countries in sectors such as energy, transportation, and telecommunications, while improving the integrated framework for land, sea, air, and cyberspace connectivity. Efforts should be made to align development strategies and market demands with partner countries, fully considering the interests and concerns of their governments, localities, and citizens before launching signature projects such as railways, ports, and airports, as well as Silk Road Maritime, China-Europe Railway Express, and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. Trilateral and multilateral market cooperation should also be advanced to leverage complementary strengths for common growth. Additionally, a risk prevention policy framework for overseas projects must be implemented to ensure the safety of both the projects and personnel involved.

Second, advancing sci-tech innovation. This involves implementing the Belt and Road Science, Technology, and Innovation Cooperation Action Plan, jointly fostering new growth drivers, and expanding cooperation in areas such as the digital economy, artificial intelligence (AI), life sciences, green energy, and advanced manufacturing. By creating an open innovation ecosystem, the smooth flow of innovation resource, including knowledge, technology, and talent will be facilitated. Joint efforts are required in global technological governance and intellectual property protection, as well as in fighting against knowledge blockades and attempts to widen the technological divide. In order to implement the Global AI Governance Initiative, countries should strengthen information exchange and technological cooperation to improve the safety, reliability, controllability, and fairness of AI technology.

Third, promoting green development. To advance the development of the Green Silk Road, it is crucial to align with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, launch more eco-friendly projects with high standards, and encourage enterprises to cooperate in areas such as green infrastructure, energy, and transportation. Efforts will be made to sign more memorandums on investment cooperation to promote information sharing and capacity building in green, low-carbon development, thus helping developing countries in their green, low-carbon transition. More support will be given to the BRI International Green Development Coalition to establish a dialogue mechanism for the photovoltaic industry and green, low-carbon expert networks. The Green Investment Principles (GIP) for the Belt and Road will be implemented, aiming to train 100,000 individuals for partner countries by 2030.

Fourth, conducting practical cooperation. Cooperation will be intensified in areas like smart cities, the Internet of Things (IoT), AI, big data, and cloud computing. To support partner countries in developing their digital economies and expand the global reach of “Silk Road E-Commerce”, e-commerce cooperation will be strengthened under mechanisms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF). Collaboration with ASEAN on e-commerce will be deepened, and the China-Africa Partnership Plan on Digital Innovation will be advanced. The Silk Road Fund will be fully utilized to provide financial support to sectors such as environmental protection, agriculture, green energy, health, education, and poverty reduction. Efficient actions will be taken to launch “small and beautiful” projects that deliver tangible results and benefit local communities, especially signature projects like edible mushroom cultivation, Luban Workshop, and Guangming Xing (a program helping patients with optical diseases recover their vision), which aim to bring tangible and well-received outcomes that improve people’s lives.

Fifth, improving international cooperation mechanisms. In addition to establishing more bilateral cooperation mechanisms for trade facilitation, investment cooperation and trade in services, it is crucial to leverage mechanisms like economic and trade joint commissions, working groups for the promotion of unimpeded trade, working groups for investment cooperation, Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), China-Central Asia Meeting of the Ministers of Economy and Trade, and the China-GCC 6+1 Economic and Trade Ministerial Conference. This goal is to create a regional economic cooperation framework that is open, inclusive, balanced, and universally beneficial together with partner countries. Existing cooperation platforms must be fully utilized to develop technologies, standards, and rules tailored to the needs of partner countries. The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) will continue to be held. We will strengthen cooperation with partner countries within the World Trade Organization (WTO) framework, build multilateral cooperation platforms in areas like energy, taxation, finance, and disaster mitigation, and advance the establishment of new multilateral governance mechanisms, such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).