Phoenix TV:

How has the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) progressed over the past eight years since it was proposed? In addition, this year marks the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland. How can Hong Kong better participate in and contribute to the BRI?

Su Wei:

In 2013, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the pioneering initiative of jointly building the Belt and Road. Over the past nine years, we have upheld the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, stayed committed to the vision of open, green and clean cooperation, and pursued the goal of high-standard, people-centered and sustainable development. The BRI's international cohesion, appeal, and influence have continued to increase and solid new achievements have been made.

First, our circle of friends has grown bigger. Jointly building the BRI has continuously consolidated and expanded the scope of cooperation. Up to now, China has signed more than 200 cooperation documents with 149 countries and 32 international organizations, and the coordination of development plans has been promoted. Jointly building the BRI has been included in documents of major international institutions, including the United Nations, the G20, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. 

Second, infrastructure connectivity has yielded fruitful results. A large number of cooperation projects have been implemented. The China-Laos Railway has been officially implemented, and the passenger turnover and freight transport volume have grown steadily. The Beno section of the Hungary-Serbia railway in Serbia has been successfully opened to traffic. The longest tunnel of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway has been finished. Gwadar Port has become a regional logistics hub and industrial base. Moreover, the China-Europe Railway Express has opened up a new channel for land transportation between Asia and Europe. As of May 2022, 55,493 China-Europe Railway Express trips had been made, transporting 4.8 million standard containers. This provided strong support for ensuring that the international supply and industry chains were stable and unimpeded. In particular, during COVID-19, the freight volume bucked trends and increased, showing strong development resilience, and becoming a flagship project of jointly building the BRI.

Third, economic and trade exchanges and cooperation have continued to develop. The international market for the BRI has been continuously expanded. As of May 2022, the total volume of trade in goods between China and countries along the routes had reached approximately $11.8 trillion, and non-financial direct investment in countries along the routes had exceeded $140 billion. China has signed Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) mutual recognition agreements with 32 countries and regions, and trade liberalization and facilitation have been continuously enhanced.

Fourth, international cooperation in emerging areas has continued to expand. There are many highlights in digital and innovative international collaboration. China has actively participated in the global response to COVID-19 and cooperated with the BRI countries in vaccine production, contributing to bridging the immunization gap. China has implemented the philosophy of green development and issued and implemented policy documents such as the Opinions on Promoting Green Development in Jointly Building the Belt and Road.

Fifth, the diversified investment and financing system has been continuously improved. The investment and financing channels for jointly building the BRI have been constantly expanded, and the "Guiding Principles on Financing the Development of the Belt and Road" and "Green Investment Principle for the Belt and Road Initiative" have been steadily promoted, effectively expanding the financing integration of the BRI countries. The transaction volume and influence of China's Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) are steadily increasing. 

Sixth, people-to-people and cultural exchanges and cooperation have continued to expand. Jointly building the Belt and Road has promoted diverse cultural and people-to-people exchanges. More than 10 flagship cultural exchange and educational cooperation projects, including the Luban Workshop, have been established. Moreover, organizations such as the Silk Road International Leagues of Theatres, Museums, Arts Festivals, Libraries and Art Galleries, and the Alliance of International Scientific Organizations are all operating well. These projects effectively enhanced exchanges, understanding and recognition among different cultures.

Now, I will address Hong Kong's participation in the joint building of the BRI. This year marks the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, and the practice of One Country, Two Systems has entered a new stage. The central government and all walks of life in Hong Kong have high expectations for the new Hong Kong SAR government. To implement the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) and support Hong Kong's participation in and contribution to the BRI, we will give full support to Hong Kong in leveraging its strengths, consolidating and enhancing its competitive edge, deeply participating in jointly building the BRI, and achieving prosperity and development while better integrating and serving the overall development of the country.

Shou Xiaoli:

Thank you, Mr. Zhao, Mr. Su, Mr. Ou, Mr. Yang and all the journalists for your participation. That's all for today's press conference.

Translated and edited by Zhou Jing, Zhang Rui, Gong Yingchun, Liu Sitong, Liu Jianing, Yuan Fang, Wang Mengru, Yan Bin, Huang Shan, Qin Qi, Wang Yiming, Xu Xiaoxuan, Li Huiru, Liu Qiang, Wang Yanfang, Ma Yujia, Duan Yaying, Wang Qian, Zhang Liying, Yang Xi, Zhu Bochen, David Ball, Jay Birbeck, and Tom Arnsten. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.

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