Wang Jinzhen, vice chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, speaks during the opening ceremony of Xi'an Silk Road Business Summit in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 6, 2016. Over 500 participants attended the summit. (Xinhua/Liu Xiao)

Business leaders from "Belt and Road" countries and international organizations gathered in northwest Chinese city of Xi'an Tuesday to deepen both understanding and cooperation.Government representatives from 52 countries and regions including Georgia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria and Greece, diplomats in China, commerce chamber chairs and entrepreneurs, altogether more than 500 delegates, attended the opening ceremony of the 2016 Xi'an Silk Road Business Summit and SRCIC Cooperation & Development Conference.

Wang Jinzhen, vice chairman of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, said the Belt and Road is a long-term systematic project that requires both cooperation between countries and participation of business associations and non-government institutions.

The summit will discuss an "Internet Silk Road", a cross-border financial services platform, a key cities cooperation platform and a capital exchange mechanism under the framework of Belt and Road, said Hu Heping, governor of northwest China's Shaanxi Province.