By: Zhao Xing, Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan
Against the backdrop of a complex international landscape, with regional conflicts flaring up and uncertainties on the rise, the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI) transcends geographical barriers and carries forward the spirit of the ancient Silk Road, offering valuable opportunities for partner countries to tackle challenges and achieve shared development and prosperity. To grasp its profound significance, we must clarify three questions: Where does it originate? Where is it headed for? And along what path should we advance?
I. Where Does the Belt and Road Initiative Come From?
In 2013, President Xi Jinping first proposed jointly building the “Silk Road Economic Belt” and the “21st‑Century Maritime Silk Road” Initiative. Over more than a decade of development, BRI has been continuously enriched in its scope and substance, extending from the Eurasian continent to Africa and Latin America, and advancing from physical connectivity to institutional and people-to-people connectivity, with its cooperation outcomes benefiting over 150 countries.
II. Where Is the Belt and Road Initiative Headed for?
BRI is a vivid practice in building a community with a shared future for humanity—a widely welcomed international public good and cooperation platform offered by China to the world. Looking ahead to high‑quality Belt and Road cooperation:
High‑Quality Infrastructure and Industrial Collaboration will build a solid foundation of connectivity. China is working to build a global network of connectivity led by economic corridors, structured by major channels and information superhighways, and supported by railways, roads, airports, ports, and pipelines—covering land, sea, air, and cyberspace. The China‑Europe Railway Express, the Mombasa‑Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, the Pakistan’s Gwadar Port and etc. are accelerating the free flow of personnel, goods, capital, and information, injecting strong momentum into regional and global economic growth.
Green Development and Digital Economy will ignite new growth drivers. China is accelerating the integration of digital infrastructure to achieve inter-connectivity and foster new growth drivers driven by innovation. At the same time, we uphold the concept of green development, and enhance green energy cooperation, so as to deal with climate change challenges. We actively support capacity building in the Global South and enhance cooperation with BRI partners in digital, green, and other fields. Under the Belt and Road framework, China has signed intergovernmental agreements on scientific and technological cooperation with nearly 100 participating countries, launched the Belt and Road Initiative International Green Development Coalition, and initiated the Belt and Road the Alliance of International Science Organizations.
An open world economy will inject stability into global development. In the face of the U.S.’s reckless attempts to exploit the world through provoking tariff and trade wars, China has resolutely countered these actions to uphold fairness and justice in international trade. The high-quality development of BRI seeks shared growth and win-win cooperation. China will establish pilot zones for Silk Road e-commerce cooperation, enter into free trade agreements and investment protection treaties with more countries, and take other measures that bring significant opportunities for global economic growth and shared prosperity. Today, China is the largest trading partner of over 150 countries and regions and has become a major source of investment for an increasing number of nations. In the first half of this year, the BRI participating countries account for 51.8% of China’s total foreign trade.
III. How Should We Implement and Further Develop the Belt and Road Initiative?
Turning this grand blueprint into reality requires practical dedication and a strong sense of responsibility. How can we ensure steady progress along the path of high‑quality cooperation?
Lead with Consultation, Uphold Quality First. Adhere to the principle of extensive consultation, joint efforts and shared benefits, uphold the concepts of open, green and clean cooperation, and pursue high-standard, people-centered and sustainable development. Encourage exploration of development models suited to national conditions. Embedding high quality throughout to deliver eco‑friendly, enduring results and tangible benefits for all.
Focus on Priorities, Benefit People’s Livelihoods. Promote both signature projects and “small yet smart” livelihood programs. Concentrate efforts on critical corridors, nodes, and projects—particularly high‑quality infrastructure and industrial cooperation—to create flagship examples. Implement more livelihood projects in developing and least‑developed countries to genuinely enhance people’s sense of gain and well‑being.
Stand United, Overcome Challenges Together. In the face of global challenges such as debt sustainability, geopolitical risks, and supply‑chain volatility, we look forward to deeper engagement and the contribution of wisdom and strength from all, especially our partners in the Global South. Confronted with shared concerns, through open dialogue, innovative mechanisms, and joint efforts we can turn challenges into opportunities for deeper cooperation.
As an important hub of the ancient Silk Roads and a Belt and Road country, Afghanistan shares a profound history of interaction with China. Our two nations reached a consensus on jointly building the Belt and Road. On multiple occasions, the leadership of Afghanistan has explicitly expressed support for this Initiative, supporting the extension of the Belt and Road into Afghanistan to promote regional connectivity and trade. China and Afghanistan enjoy highly complementary economies: Afghanistan’s quality products have great potential in the Chinese market, and China’s strengths in infrastructure, manufacturing, and new energy are key to helping Afghanistan overcome development bottlenecks and advance reconstruction.
While advancing high‑quality Belt and Road cooperation, China also places great importance on security cooperation with Afghanistan. Combating the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is a core concern of China. The ETIM—designated by China in accordance with the law and listed by the UN Security Council as a terrorist organization—has plotted and carried out a number of violent terrorist attacks both inside and outside China. In recent years, The ETIM has colluded more closely with other international and regional terrorist and separatist forces, such as the “Islamic State”, “Al-Qaeda” and the “Balochistan Liberation Army”, to plot continuous attacks against overseas Chinese targets, which gravely threaten China’s interests and security overseas and seriously undermine the security and stability of relevant countries and regions. We hope that Afghanistan will adopt an even firmer stance against terrorism and deliver more visible results, only by this way can obstacles be removed for advancing China-Afghanistan relations and strengthening Belt and Road cooperation.
Great journeys span far, broad seas welcome all rivers. BRI stands on the right side of historical progress and aligns with the logic of our era’s advancement—it is the path of righteousness. Looking to the road ahead, we face both opportunities and challenges, but our resolve to vigorously advance high‑quality Belt and Road cooperation remains unwavering. Let us join hands and advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation to achieve shared development and prosperity!
