The recent China International Think Tank Forum of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road in Guangzhou, capital city of Guangdong Province Photo: GDUFS

GUANGZHOU—Experts shed light on the high-quality development of the Belt and Road (B&R) at the recent China International Think Tank Forum of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

The B&R initiative follows the laws of the market, international prevailing rules, and the principle of consultation, contribution and shared benefits, said Zhai Dongsheng, director of the Belt and Road Construction Facilitation Center at China’s National Development and Reform Commission. All parties have been welcome to participate, complement each other’s advantages, and share benefits and risks. Through interconnection and high-quality joint construction, the people of the countries and regions involved in the B&R initiative will benefit more from the cooperation plans.

Subramanian Swamy, former president of the Indian People’s Party, said that China’s B&R initiative, especially the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, has brought great positive externalities to the development of neighboring countries including India in terms of connectivity, trade and infrastructure construction. China and India will strengthen regional cooperation around the B&R initiative, in particular boosting exchanges between people and infrastructure connectivity.

Pornchai Danvivathana, secretary-general of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), said that the B&R initiative proposed by China has an aim to further promote the interconnection among China and ASEAN countries and to boost ASEAN’s regional development. Through the B&R, all ACD members will have access to an interconnected infrastructure, the exchange of information and technology, and the exchange of ideas and creativity, which will in turn accelerate ASEAN’s shift to a more balanced and innovation-driven high-quality development model.

According to Zhang Yuyan, director of the Institute of World Economics and Politics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, in order to adapt to the rise of high technology, especially the new generation of network communication technology, countries along the B&R should pay close attention, and ensure their innovation-driven developments can meet market demand.

In addition, Zhang suggested that countries along the B&R cooperate to build their own currency platforms to hedge against the uncertainty caused by currency sanctions in some Western countries.

Alastair Bell, a board member of the New Zealand National Party, believed that the B&R initiative means greater opportunities. By learning from each other, the countries along the B&R can create a more beautiful and integrated world. In the process of achieving win-win cooperation, New Zealand’s diverse culture, good business environment and innovative advantages in science and technology, especially in sustainability, will bring huge business opportunities to Chinese companies.

Patty Peter, mayor of Luganville, Vanuatu, said that as a South Pacific island country, the government of Vanuatu is very grateful for its economic cooperation with the Chinese government on the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. The Chinese government and Chinese enterprises have effectively helped improve the infrastructure of airports, hydropower stations, and municipal health and transportation facilities in Vanuatu.

In order to promote the high-quality development of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, Luganville City has signed a cooperation agreement with Chinese city Zhuhai, which will become a new starting point for the Maritime Silk Road between China and Vanuatu, Peter noted.

Angela Murphy, former deputy vice chancellor of the University of Central Lancashire in the United Kingdom, said that flexible universities will achieve greater success amid the increase in global uncertainties. The B&R initiative will profoundly affect the global higher education landscape, and universities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will help facilitate this transformation.