By He Yin, People’s Daily
To pursue open, green and clean cooperation is the vital code to the fruitful achievements of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and is absolutely necessary for achieving high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.
As Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, “We need to pursue open, green and clean cooperation. The Belt and Road is not an exclusive club; it aims to promote green development. We may launch green infrastructure projects, make green investment and provide green financing to protect the Earth which we all call home. In pursuing Belt and Road cooperation, everything should be done in a transparent way, and we should have zero tolerance for corruption.”
The BRI is committed to open cooperation. It represents an open and inclusive collaborative process that transcends national borders, ideological differences, developmental disparities, social system variations, and geopolitical conflicts. Facilitating policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and closer people-to-people ties, the initiative aims to promote interconnected development through expanding opening up.
The rising unilateralism and protectionism in recent years have posed a risk of dividing the global economy, therefore safeguarding an open world economy has become even more important.
A high-level forum on connectivity is expected to be held during the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which will further promote connectivity and enhance the complementarity and synergy between the Belt and Road cooperation and the development strategies and agenda at national, regional and international levels, thus making the pie of common interests even bigger. This is of great significance for promoting world economic recovery and development.
The BRI is committed to green cooperation. The initiative emphasizes respecting and protecting nature and following its laws, and respects the right of all parties to pursue sustainable and eco-friendly growth. It responds to the demand of all relevant parties for sustainable development and builds a consensus for a green Belt and Road.
China has formed the BRI International Green Development Coalition with more than 150 partners from 40-plus countries, and launched the Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on Green Development together with 31 countries.
The Zhanatas wind farm in Kazakhstan has turned desert into a frontier of development; the Cauchari Solar Park in Argentina has become the photovoltaic power station project with the largest installed capacity and highest altitude in South America; the Karot Hydropower Plant in Pakistan has helped alleviate Pakistan’s energy shortage…
Leveraging its expertise in renewable energy, energy conservation, environmental protection and clean production, and employing Chinese technology, products and experience, China actively promotes BRI cooperation in green development.
A high-level forum on green development will be hosted during the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. It will build further consensus and a closer partnership for green development, so as to contribute to the sustainable development of the world.
The BRI is committed to clean cooperation. Clean governance is considered an intrinsic and necessary condition for the steady and sustained development of the BRI, with a commitment to transparency in cooperation.
All participants joined to combat corruption, strengthening their legal systems and mechanisms, harmonizing their laws and regulations, and fostering international cooperation. Together with relevant countries, international organizations, and representatives from the business and academic communities, China launched the Beijing Initiative for the Clean Silk Road. This initiative calls for a clean Silk Road characterized by extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits.
Chinese companies expanding globally are committed to compliance and lawful operations, adhering to the laws of both China and the host countries and to international norms. They have particularly heightened their capacity to mitigate overseas operational risks, strengthening project supervision and management to ensure the delivery of clean, cost-efficient and high-quality projects.
A thematic forum on clean Silk Road will be held during the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Relevant parties will jointly build an even closer partnership of clean governance, enabling capital and projects to operate efficiently with cleanness, better implementing various cooperation projects, and making the Belt and Road a path of integrity with a clean and righteous environment.
The BRI has become a popular international public good and international cooperation platform, which fully demonstrates the vitality and appeal of open, green and clean cooperation. China will work with all relevant parties to pursue openness and inclusiveness, promote green development, build a clean Silk Road, and pursue steady progress of high-quality BRI cooperation.
