Opinion |
A Bold Vision | |
Reactions to President Xi’s speech at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation | |
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Editor's Note: The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation began in Beijing on May 14. President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech. What’s the view of commentators on Xi’s speech? Suman Bery, former Chief Economist at Shell and current non-resident fellow of Bruegel, a Brussels-based European think tank I had not understood the scale of ambition, achievement and geographic expanse of the Belt and Road Initiative before I am physically present in China here today. I have learned a lot from President Xi Jinping’s speech. It is a very bold and unusual vision that attempts to break new ground in the relationship between states. There is no major differentiation between developed and developing countries, which is the way of the old world order. Also, the Belt and Road means a lot of infrastructure projects and that can’t be undertaken without a great deal of finance. President Xi mentioned the principle of non-interference. The conditions for financing will be led by financiers, not governments. There is a point of tension. How do you ensure there is commitment to certain standards and protocols? That is what China will learn from development of others, particularly from the European heartland. Liu Xin, Host of CGTN’s talk show The Point It was a very calm speech in which President Xi Jinping explained what China has been doing to achieve the goals of the Belt and Road Initiative. When you are doing something that is on such a massive scale, people will have questions and you will have to answer them. He addressed the concerns of the leaders and participants. He reassured them that what China wants with this initiative is to develop the economy of the countries involved, it is not seeking hegemony. Mirzokhid Rakhimov, head of contemporary history and international studies with the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan Ikenna Emewu, Kenyan journalist with The Star daily in Nairobi Copyedited by Dominic James Madar |
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