Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski delivers a speech at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) on April 25.

Poland's foreign minister praised China's "Belt and Road" initiative during his visit to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) on April 25, which was one stop on his official tour of China from April 23 to 27.

The "Belt and Road" initiative is the most promising platform for cooperation between China and the EU, and will be a new formula of a strategic relationship between Europe and Asia, Witold Waszczykowski said in his speech titled "Where the ‘Belt and Road' Initiative Meet Europe: Europe and China in the Eyes of a Pole."

"We view it as a multifaceted project that ambitiously escalates beyond the questions of trade and transportation connectivity between the partnering countries," Waszczykowski said.

The "Belt and Road" initiative will raise the relations between the two continents to a new level based on not only comprehensive and mutually beneficial economic cooperation but also advanced dialogue and boosted inter-civilizational trust, he said. "As a strong country of Central and Eastern Europe, Poland is willing to take an active part in forging a synergy of initiatives within the 'Belt and Road,' coupling them with EU projects implemented in the fields of infrastructure and transportation."

In particular, Waszczykowski pointed out that the so-called "connectivity platform" implies a mechanism identifying common interests and sectors of potential cooperation within the framework of infrastructure and transportation policies of the EU and China.

He said the "16 plus 1 Cooperation" mechanism, which connects the economies of 16 Central and Eastern European countries to China, could contribute considerably to the "connectivity platform" and facilitate the implementation of common projects. "No doubt, the '16 plus 1' cooperation has become a significant part of China-EU relations," he added.

Moreover, Waszczykowski shared his understanding of the relationship between China and Poland, saying the two nations have similar historical experiences and are likely to have a lasting friendship. He pointed out that Poland sits at the crossroads of Europe and has drawn many investors from China. It is pleasing to see that China is showing increasing interest in investing in Poland and enhancing bilateral trade, and Poland is highly motivated to be engaged in more areas to promote strategic cooperation with China, the minister said.

China is one of the oldest civilizations in the world and now has emerged as a global power with fast economic development, Waszczykowski said. The success of the Chinese path to modernization lies in the adaptation to realities and a respect for traditions, he said, adding that such a model is quite appealing to Poland.

Concluding his speech, Waszczykowski said the two nations expect a harmonious world where all countries can understand and cooperate with each other. The two nations agree that justice and equality should be a fundamental principle of the international order and oppose any form of hegemony and invasion, he said.

Relations between China and Poland have been strengthened in recent years, said CASS Member Zhou Hong, adding that the establishment of the “16 plus 1 Cooperation” mechanism also presents new opportunities for China-Poland cooperation.

With the advantages of a solid industrial foundation and the high-quality labor pool of the European Union, Poland has attracted increasing foreign investment in recent years, Zhou said. Many Chinese enterprises have invested in Poland, contributing to local economic growth and the improvement of bilateral relations, she said, “The Polish foreign minister’s visit will promote cultural and academic exchanges between the two nations while deepening cooperation between CASS and Polish academia.”

CASS President Wang Weiguang met with Waszczykowski. More than 100 delegates attended the lecture, including the Polish ambassador to China and other European envoys and think tanks as well as representatives from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, research centers and renowned universities, such as Peking University and Tsinghua University.