On Sept. 19, the 2017 Media Cooperation Forum on the “Belt and Road” initiative was convened in Dunhuang city, Northwest China’s Gansu Province. Jointly hosted by the People’s Daily, Gansu CPC Party Committee and provincial government, the forum has been held annually since 2014. Political and business leaders, experts, and media professionals from 265 media agencies of 126 countries across the globe gathered to engage in dialogue.

Since the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road were proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping during a visit of Central and Southeast Asian countries four years ago, the “Belt and Road” initiative has had a far-reaching impact on the world. 

To date, more than 100 countries and international organizations have joined the initiative and showed their support. More than 70 countries and international organizations have signed cooperation agreements with China covering policy, infrastructure, trade, finance and people-to-people exchanges. In terms of production capacity cooperation, agreements have been reached with more than 30 participant countries, and a wide array of cooperative projects have been launched. In addition, the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in May this year achieved a number of results in five categories, including 76 major items and more than 270 specific items. Under the “Belt and Road” framework, China’s cooperation with foreign countries is more systematic and extensive than before and its circle of international participants has expanded.

The “Belt and Road” initiative embodies new Chinese diplomatic connotations that have taken shape since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. With mutually beneficial cooperation at the core, the initiative adheres to the principle of wide consultation, joint contribution and shared benefit. It is neither closed off nor coercive but is based on mutual respect and equity. Such concepts and principles unique to the “Belt and Road” initiative have been accepted by international partners and acknowledged by more and more international organizations. For instance, the 71st session of the UN General Assembly recently adopted a resolution themed “United Nations in Global Economic Governance,” which incorporated the principle of wide consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits put forward by China and requires all parties to improve global economic governance and strengthen the role of the United Nations based on this principle. 

A grand strategic vision aimed at an open global economic system, the “Belt and Road” initiative shows that China is proactively engaged in enhancing the global governance system. As Xi said, the international community welcomes the voice of China and its solutions for the growing number of global problems, so China should not be absent from the global system.

The “Belt and Road” is thus a crucial way that China participates in global governance. Stemming from China, the initiative belongs to the world. With development as its main target, the initiative conforms to the trends of economic globalization. At the same time, it respects the diversity of each nation’s development paths. Encouraging the convergence of each country’s development strategies, the initiative stresses the importance of finding where national interests overlap to construct a better global governance pattern.

Jia Xiudong is a guest commentator from the People’s Daily and a distinguished research fellow from the China Institute of International Studies.