China will host the 3rd International Silk Road Conference in October this year to strengthen exchanges with countries along the Silk Road.  

The conference, co-sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Communications, the International Road Federation (IRF) and the government of Shaanxi Province, is scheduled to be held in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi, from Oct. 26 to 28 this year.

"It is of great significance for China to promote the construction of the 'New Silk Road' and to strengthen the transport cooperation with these countries along the Silk Road," said Feng Zhenglin, vice minister of communications, on Thursday.

Wim Westerhuis, secretary general of the International Road Federation (IRF), said that there would be no success in rehabilitating the Silk Road without the support of China. He expressed his belief that holding the Silk Road Conference in China would achieve more fruitful results.

The theme of the conference is "Silk Road Rehabilitation and Road Infrastructure Construction". The conference will consist of the Opening Ceremony, Ministerial Session, Plenary Session, Parallel Sessions, Closing Ceremony and Technical Tour.

A large exhibition will also be staged during the conference.

It is estimated that the number of the participants from both at home and abroad will be over 600, including transport ministers or high-ranking officials from the countries along the Silk Road, the neighboring countries and other relevant countries; representatives from international organizations like the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the United Nations European Economic Commission (UNECE),the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the International Road Transport Union (IRU); and high-level representatives from the international financial institutions, such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, and from foreign enterprises.

During the conference, a ministerial session will be held, during which the participating ministers will express their views on "how a rehabilitated Silk Road will contribute to the economic and social development of each country."

Based on their in-depth discussion, a Joint Ministerial Statement will be released after the session. According to IRF, the first and second International Silk Road Conferences were held in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan respectively in 1998 and 1999.

(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2004)