Belt and Road Initiative
The Belt and Road Initiative – China's proposal to build a Silk Road Economic Belt and a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road in cooperation with related countries – was unveiled by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visits to Central and Southeast Asia in September and October 2013. The initiative focuses on promoting policy coordination, connectivity of infrastructure and facilities, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and closer people-to-people ties through a consultative process and joint efforts, with the goal of bringing benefits to all.
The initiative covers primarily East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia, Central Asia, and Central and Eastern Europe. It reflects a convergence of interests and an increasing need for regional and global cooperation. The response from countries along the proposed Belt and Road has been enthusiastic.
The Belt and Road Initiative has driven new advances in opening up. By the end of 2018, China had signed more than 150 cooperation agreements with 106 countries and 29 international organizations from Asia, Europe, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and south Pacific, and carried out industrial cooperation projects with more than 30 countries. The UN General Assembly and Security Council have made reference to the initiative in some of their resolutions. General Assembly resolution 2344, for instance, called on the international community to increase regional economic cooperation through the Belt and Road Initiative.
“一带一路”
“一带一路”是“丝绸之路经济带”和“21世纪海上丝绸之路”的简称。2013年9月和10月，中国国家主席习近平出访中亚和东南亚时，分别提出了与相关国家共同建设“丝绸之路经济带”和“21世纪海上丝绸之路”的倡议。该倡议以实现“政策沟通、设施联通、贸易畅通、资金融通、民心相通”为主要内容，以“共商、共建、共享”为原则，实实在在地造福沿线国家和人民。“一带一路”主要涵盖东亚、东南亚、南亚、西亚、中亚和中东欧等国家和地区。“一带一路”建设符合有关各方共同利益，顺应地区和全球合作潮流，得到了沿线国家的积极响应。截至2018年年底，中国已经与106个国家和29个国际组织签署了超过150份共建“一带一路”的协议，签署范围自亚欧大陆拓展至非洲、拉美和加勒比地区、南太平洋地区；同30多个国家开展机制化产能合作，推动形成了以“一带一路”为引领的对外开放新格局。共建“一带一路”已经写入联合国大会、安理会等重要决议，联合国安理会通过的第2344号决议，呼吁国际社会通过“一带一路”建设加强区域经济合作。
