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A beautiful symphony [By Zhai Haijun/China.org.cn]

The formal ceremonial opening of China's flagship international development project, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), is the culmination of a process which has been remarkably rapid by the standards of international cooperative enterprises. It was only in 2013 that China first mooted this proposal, and only fifteen months ago, in October 2014, that the initiative was launched in a conference of the prospective participants. That it has come together and taken firm shape so quickly is a tribute to the energy and drive the Chinese government has applied to propelling it forward.

Of course it is a considerable advantage for such a project to have one party providing clear leadership - on international issues a great deal of time can be wasted in waiting for one partner or another to come to a decision. Not this time though. Though there are 57 partners involved in the AIIB, it is a Chinese-led and (largely) Chinese-funded enterprise, and represents a contribution to the cause of regional and global development commensurate with China's size and position in the region and the world.

The commitment of the top leadership to the AIIB is shown by the arrangements for the opening; President Xi Jinping, whose brainchild this is, will address the inaugural ceremony on Saturday January 16, whereas the founding conference of the AIIB council will be addressed by Premier Li Keqiang the same afternoon. The opening events will last for three days, closing on January 18, giving a wide range of Chinese leaders and experts an opportunity to engage with the other partners in the bank.

The AIIB's mission will be wide-ranging and multidisciplinary; but, broadly speaking, it consists of helping the developing world raise itself out of poverty by mobilizing social capital. There are a number of countries which are unable to make the best use of their physical and human resources because of deficiencies in infrastructure (broadly defined). Accordingly, as was announced in December by Chen Huan, the chief officer of the AIIB's Multilateral Interim Secretariat, the AIIB's remit will initially cover five core areas: energy, transport, rural development, urban development, and logistics. This will gradually expand to cover education, healthcare, and general social development.

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