On October 18 and 19, the third International Forum on Belt and Road Initiative & Global Governance was held at Fudan University under the theme of "Jointly Building Belt and Road: From Initiative to Practices", which echoed the latest developments in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
More than 200 experts and 300 observers from 30 countries and regions attended the forum, sharing their insights on how to achieve high-quality development of the Belt and Road.
This year's Forum was hosted by Fudan University and the International Silk Road Think Tank Association (SRTA), and organized by the Fudan Institute of Belt and Road & Global Governance (BRGG) and the China Center for Contemporary World Studies (CCCWS).
Over the past 3 years, the Forum has served as an important platform for exchanges and cooperation between think tanks of countries along the Belt and Road. By expanding the participation of local governments and companies, the Forum has been drawing valuable ideas and suggestions for the development of the BRI.
A variety of sessions were held at the same time, including the plenary conference, the closed meeting, International Advisory Roundtable, Union of Deans of Politics and International Relations Dean's Forum, Entrepreneurs' Forum, High-level Roundtable, along with 6 parallel sub-forums.
Speech excerpts from the Forum:
Opening ceremony
Jiao Yang, Chairperson of the University Council:
The achievement of the Belt and Road is beyond expectation. The conditions for international cooperation have become more favorable, which has ushered in the new development stage for BRGG. Over the past 3 years, BRGG has been expanding in scope and growing in the depth of research, communication and cooperation.
Yu Hongjun, Former Vice Minister of the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the CPC:
BRI has contributed to the shared development of the world, promoted regional cooperation and become a public good provided by China for the shared growth of the international community.
Zhou Mingwei, Former President of China International Publishing Group:
The world is facing a rise in uncertainty and instability in global economy and politics. BRI serves as an important stabilizer for those great changes unseen in the past century. The forum will help reach a broader consensus and cultivate more BRI experts.
Luo Kangrui, Chairman of Shui On Group:
BRI would foster the sustained growth of global economy, the upgrade of industrial structures, the emergence of more Chinese transnational enterprises. Universities, research institutions, think tanks and enterprises should collaborate to work out effective strategies for BRI.
Plenary meeting
Donald McKinnon, Chair of the New Zealand China Council and Former Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand:
We need to further strengthen bilateral relations and enhance cooperation in supply chains, customs and innovation to step up mobility in infrastructure, products, services, capital and people, and advance exchanges in biosafety and justice.
Li Junru, Former Vice President of Party School of the Central Committee of CPC:
The essence of the BRI is to build a community with a shared future for humanity, which we are materializing by connecting trade on land and at sea. The world has all the essentials, including time, material, technology and values to form such a community.
Kong Dan, Former Chairman of China International Trust and Investment Corporation Group:
Through participating in the Initiative, CITIC Group has realized it should draw on the advantages of multi-industrial collaboration and achieve a win-win situation for domestic and foreign enterprises.
Zhang Jing’an, Vice President of China Science Center of International Eurasian Academy of Sciences:
In the vanguard of promoting world peace and development, BRI has built an international platform for cooperation in science and technology for the Silk Road countries.
Wang Zhan, President of Shanghai Federation of Social Science Associations:
Mutual learning advocated by BRI has a long history. The invention of papermaking facilitated the communication of Eurasian civilization, and the socioeconomic ethics of Jiangnan culture gave rise to the now prevailing values of fairness and interests.
