As the 3rd Forum of Belt and Road (Belt and Road) for International Cooperation (BRF) to be held later this year in China, some overseas media have consistently smeared the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), claiming that some leaders of developed countries will not participate in the forum, even before detailed information about the event is released.
A source familiar with the preparations for the event told the Global Times Friday that the vast majority of invitations to the next forum are going to developing countries, while some developed countries will not be included. "Whether inviting leaders or related cooperation agreements, China does not pursue scale and quantity, but quality and efficiency.The source said.
According to the source, the main objective of the forum is to collaborate for development, as the majority of participants in the BRI are from emerging economies. Therefore, invited leaders will come mainly from developing countries.
The information revealed by the source is also a response to some Western media reports, which claimed that foreign officials agreeing to participate in the BRF are currently “fewer than expected". Reports have also suggested that Europe is "avoiding" participating in this forum, with European leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reportedly not planning to attend. attend the forum.
The source said that China had not sent invitations to some of the Western leaders mentioned in the reports, and that the hypothesis of a "non-participationwas simply not valid in the absence of such invitations.
In fact, many countries took the initiative to contact China to express their strong desire to be invited to participate in the forum as soon as they learned that the third BRF would be held this year.
A recent report by European think tank, the Bruegel Institute, indicated that over the past decade, the Belt and Road Initiative has successfully withstood many challenges and tests, attracting many acclaims worldwide. Developing countries, in particular, have strong feelings about this initiative.
China is currently carefully reviewing the invitation list for the summit forum. "It will not only be held three times; some leaders may participate in this year's forum and others in the following year. China hopes that the leaders of participating countries will have many opportunities to express themselves and communicate in depth, and benefit from well-thought-out arrangements.“, underlined the source.
As an initiative that has garnered the participation of more than three-quarters of the world's nations and many international organizations, the Belt and Road Initiative has been widely welcomed by the international community, especially developing countries. .
«The doors of the BRF are open to all nations, regions, institutions, business communities and international organizations that are genuinely committed to regional and global connectivity, international economic cooperation, shared development among developing countries and of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development“, said the source to the Global Times.
While China does not currently plan to invite the leaders of developed countries mentioned in the reports, other personnel from these countries who wish to participate in the forum's activities are welcomed by China, the source added. . "If they choose not to participate, that's okay too. Some Western media should not overestimate their importance; the success of the summit is not determined by the number of developed countries participating».
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. Song Wei, a professor at the School of International Relations at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times that at this important time, China will take the opportunity provided by the summit forum to work collectively with relevant parties and achieve more fruitful results for the Belt and Road Initiative. This effort aims to give new impetus to global economic recovery and sustainable development.
Over the past decade, China has worked closely with various parties to jointly build the Belt and Road, turning plans into reality and translating them into tangible results and benefits for people of all nations. The data reveals that in ten years, the Belt and Road Initiative has spurred investments of nearly one trillion dollars, resulting in the formation of more than 3000 cooperative projects and generating 420 employment opportunities for countries along the route, lifting nearly 000 million people out of poverty.
The Bruegel Institute report said that in recent years, China has brought tangible benefits to countries along the Belt and Road through trade and investment channels. The initiative has also played a complementary role in development assistance alongside institutions such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, creating new development opportunities for these countries.
Song added that the Belt and Road Initiative is widely recognized by the international community as a high-quality public good initiated by China, jointly built by all parties and shared by the world, while adhering to the principles of extensive consultation, joint efforts and shared benefits, which is the key for which it has been widely recognized by the world.
«Throughout the process, China has never imposed its own ideas on others, nor mixed geopolitical agendas. As an open and inclusive international cooperation platform, the Belt and Road Initiative promotes a more inclusive, beneficial and balanced form of global development, as opposed to a globalization that only serves a few countries. Facts have proven that any attempt to denigrate the Belt and Road Initiative and collaborative efforts between China and partner countries will ultimately discredit itself.Mr. Song said.
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