CEE political parties give thumbs-up to B&R Initiative

The Belt and Road Initiative is winning increasing plaudits from political parties in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), as concrete projects have already offered visible benefits to the region, according to delegates attending the 2017 China-CEE Countries Political Parties Dialogue ending yesterday in the Romanian capital of Bucharest.

This is especially true after four years of development of the Initiative since it was first proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013. Many countries have begun to shift from looking-on to full participation as they get to know more about the Initiative and discover how it can be tailored or exploited to meet their own needs.

"There are few things all political parties in Poland agree on, but the Belt and Road Initiative is certainly one are looking forward to," said Michal Ludwikowski, member of the Polish People's Party Supreme Council and general director of Polish Economic Congress Foundation.

Ludwikowski said his party, the oldest in Poland, is an active participation. Together with Chinese partners, Poland has established a Joint Committee for Advancement of the Belt and Road with offices in Warsaw and Beijing. Its flagship project is to establishment of an accounting currency for international trade and settlement purposes, especially between countries involved in the Initiative.

Romania is also eager to conduct cooperation with China under the Initiative.

"This is the future," said Romanian Economy Minister Mihai Viorel Fifor, speaking to China.org.cn when commenting on the Initiative.

The minister said political parties, especially ruling ones, have an important role in dealing with issues involving in economic development. Fifor said political parties in Romania had reached consensus on the Initiative, as it offers a future of common prosperity and there cannot be a single party that wouldn't wish the country to develop.

Fifor said China and Romania enjoyed a long tradition of friendship and cooperation and the Initiative would undoubtedly consolidate bilateral ties. Following the just-ended Dialogue, the Romanian State Council intended to identify possible projects in discussion with the local Chinese embassy.

Romania welcomes Chinese companies and their investment. There are around 7,000 Chinese businessmen working in Romania and the minister believed the figure would climb with the advancement of the Initiative in CEE countries.

For Macedonia, heart of the Balkans connecting the region in all directions, Dejan Pavleski, deputy minister of Local Self-Government, said his party, the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDUM), was ready to cooperate to achieve prosperity and peace in the region.

"In Macedonia, and in a new government [led by SDUM], I can assure you that you will have a partner ready to cooperate based on the principles of mutual trust and respect, in order to create a new bright future and perspective for the countries of CEE, together with friends in the Far East, especially China."

A new planned railway line from the Greek port of Paralia to Budapest, via Serbia, will pass through Macedonia, said Pavleski. "Therefore, we are very interested in this dialogue, and a practical realization of that particular project."

The 2017 China-CEE Political Parties Dialogue, jointly held by the International Department of the Communist Party of China and Romania's Social Democrat Party, brought together 600 political party leaders, representatives and entrepreneurs from China and 16 CEE countries for better implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative.