Note: On June 21 and 22, 2018, the Shanghai Convention and Exhibition Industries Association held the fifth International Exhibition Industry CEO Shanghai Summit. A total of 233 Chinese and international guests attended. Among them, 36 speakers delivered speeches around the theme Belt and Road and the International Exhibition Industry. Starting today, the association's WeChat account will publish key points from the speeches. Please stay tuned.

Morning of June 21

Topic: Introduction to the Belt and Road Initiative

Speaker: Zhou Hanmin, member of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee, vice chairman of the Shanghai CPPCC, vice chairman of the Central Committee of the China National Democratic Construction Association, and chairman of its Shanghai Municipal Committee.

Key points

The advancement of the Belt and Road Initiative depends to a large extent on China's courage to go out into the world. The development of our exhibition industry needs not only courage, but also the wisdom of the world. Today, Shanghai's exhibition industry ranks among the world's leaders in both exhibition area and number of exhibitions. In terms of internationalization, Shanghai's exhibitions are also continuously aligning with world standards. Yet the last part of a journey is often the hardest. We must always remain humble and keep learning in order to achieve greater development.

The Belt and Road Initiative is not about nostalgic reflection on antiquity. Looking back at the paths taken by our predecessors, four spirits are especially worth attention.

The first is cooperation. Chinese people went into the world to cooperate with others and create a better future. The second is openness. China did not begin the Silk Road because its land was narrow or its people were destitute. When Zheng He made seven voyages to the Western Seas, his ships carried fine products created by the great civilization of our nation. Chinese people went into the world with an open mind. The third is mutual learning. Chinese civilization influenced the world, while great civilizations of the world nourished China in return, giving rise to China's continuous innovation and step-by-step integration into the world. The fourth is win-win development. No country in this world should claim absolute priority. Between national interests and international justice, we should value compliance with international justice.

Therefore, in the process of going into the world, we should learn from our predecessors and remember the spirit of cooperation, an open mind, the concept of mutual learning and a future of win-win development.

Over the past five years, the Belt and Road Initiative has moved a long way from proposal to implementation because it fits the main axis and mainstream of current world economic and social development: peace and development.

The connotation of the Belt and Road Initiative can be summarized in one idea: connectivity. This is reflected in five forms of connectivity, and their order should not be reversed. First is policy coordination, which is the so-called top-level design. Second is infrastructure connectivity. Third is unimpeded trade. Fourth is financial integration. Finally, people-to-people bonds must be achieved.

What has China done in less than five years since proposing the Belt and Road Initiative?

First, the five-connectivity proposal has received responses from more than 100 countries and international organizations around the world. China's principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits for Belt and Road cooperation has been written into United Nations resolutions three times. In the 73 years since the founding of the United Nations, it is an unprecedented case for a proposal made by Chinese people to be included in the most important UN resolutions.

Second, in less than five years, China has signed 101 international agreements with 86 countries and international organizations, invested USD 70 billion directly in Belt and Road related countries and regions, and built 75 economic development zones in relevant countries. In 2017, China's total foreign trade in goods reached USD 4.1 trillion, of which nearly USD 1 trillion was bilateral trade with Belt and Road related countries.

Third, nearly 140 countries have actively participated in the China International Import Expo, and a considerable number of them are Belt and Road related countries. It must also be added that the Belt and Road is by no means limited to the 65 countries reached by ancient travelers. On land, it has six routes and six corridors. At sea, it has multiple countries and ports. There is a Pacific Belt and Road, a blue Belt and Road, and an Arctic Belt and Road. Since 2017, the Chinese government has also provided 10,000 places each year for young people from Belt and Road related countries to receive training, further study and degree education. These are seeds of peace.

On the future development of the Belt and Road Initiative, I have five suggestions.

First, build a solid economic foundation. Economic prosperity is the firm foundation of the Belt and Road and the common pursuit of people in all countries. At the same time, the role of finance should be emphasized more, and international cooperation with higher standards of free trade and investment facilitation should be pursued.

Second, emphasize cultural diversity. Civilizations should not be judged by length, and cultures are colorful. Cultural diversity means inclusiveness. It does not erase the unique features of individual cultures, but those unique features must not be imposed as global consensus.

Third, uphold sustainable development. The Belt and Road requires decades of effort, so harmony between human beings and nature must be valued.

Fourth, identify an important breakthrough point: connectivity. In infrastructure, I mentioned the six land corridors. These corridors do not necessarily need to be built by us or owned by us; what matters is that they can be used. The Belt and Road needs breakthroughs, and those breakthroughs depend to a large extent on infrastructure.

Fifth, uphold the concept of international cooperation. The Belt and Road is not China's plan to design the world, but China's effort to integrate into the world. This is our firm position. For the Belt and Road to move forward, it must play a greater role in integrating with the world.