Wang Yi attends the meeting of the Advisory Council of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation

On December 18, 2020, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the Meeting of the Advisory Council of the 2020 Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation via video link.

Wang Yi said despite the impact of the pandemic this year, international cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has continued to demonstrate strong resilience and vitality. The BRI cooperation has played an important role in helping countries fight the virus, stabilize the economy, and protect people's livelihoods. It has also contributed to the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The world today is going through a pandemic and global changes, both unseen in a century. The life, safety and health of people around the world are under threat. With global industrial and supply chains disrupted and international trade and investment contracting, the world economy slipped into recession. Unilateralism and protectionism have been on the rise. Yet no matter how the situation may evolve, the international community's need for the Belt and Road remains unchanged; partners' support for the Belt and Road remains unchanged; and China's resolve to advance Belt and Road international cooperation remains unchanged.

Wang Yi said President Xi Jinping has proposed making the Belt and Road a model of cooperation, health, recovery and growth. This has charted the course for Belt and Road international cooperation. 

To make the Belt and Road a model of cooperation, the BRI partners need to promote openness and win-win cooperation. We support Chinese and foreign companies in participating in cooperation projects in an open and transparent manner following market rules and the principle of fairness and sharing benefits and risks. China is ready to continue advancing bilateral, trilateral and multilateral cooperation in various fields with all parties to build an open world economy, and maintain the smooth functioning of global industrial and supply chains.

To make the Belt and Road a model of health, the BRI partners need to further advance international cooperation against COVID-19. For BRI partners, our immediate priority is to defeat the virus through solidarity and cooperation. Vaccines are the focus of international cooperation for the next stage. China has joined the COVAX initiative led by the WHO. Important progress has been made in phase III trials carried out by China's vaccine companies and firms in BRI partner countries. When vaccines become available for deployment, China will deliver benefits to BRI partners.

To make the Belt and Road a model of recovery, the BRI partners need to promote parallel progress in COVID-19 response and economic and social development. With rigorous containment measures in place, many Belt and Road projects have kept going. A stream of new projects have been launched. Against the backdrop of the global economic recession, China's input into the Belt and Road has kept a momentum of growth, providing support and help for COVID-19 response and economic recovery in BRI countries. China will continue to work with all parties to enhance the cooperation frameworks of fast tracks and green lanes, and enhance the efficiency and quality of key international corridors.

To make the Belt and Road a model of growth, the BRI partners need to unleash new drivers of the world economy. Digital Silk Road is a priority area for BRI cooperation in the next stage. China has put forth the Global Initiative on Data Security to promote collective efforts toward a cyberspace featuring peace, security, openness and cooperation. China is committed to environment-friendly development and is actively involved in international cooperation on climate change, which will catalyze the development of a green Silk Road. 

Wang Yi said the momentum of steady recovery of the Chinese economy is good news for the world. China will continue to deepen reform and expand opening-up. A growing China will help drive global growth more strongly and make greater contributions to global economic recovery.

Wang Yi stressed that the new development paradigm which China is actively fostering is aimed at promoting mutual openness and mutually reinforcing development between domestic and international circulations. It will fully unlock China's market potential and facilitate greater opening-up. The high-quality development of the Chinese economy will provide stronger impetus and create broader space for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

Wang Yi said the BRF Advisory Council is an important platform for multilateral Belt and Road cooperation. China looks forward to council members' insights on high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and encourages council members to communicate the true story of Belt and Road cooperation to the world and bring more wisdom and resources to bear on Belt and Road cooperation.