CHONGQING — The 2025 Belt and Road Initiative annual Chinese character release event took place on Sunday in Chongqing's Yongchuan district, where the character of the year — yong, meaning "everlasting" — was officially announced.

Co-hosted by the China Public Relations Association and the People's Government of Yongchuan District, the event saw the character selected from a shortlist of nine contenders, which also include kai (openness), lian (connectivity) and wen (stability).

Guo Weimin, president of the CPRA, noted that Chinese characters are key to cross-cultural communication and international outreach. The event aims to further promote Chinese culture, extend the reach and appeal of the Chinese civilization and facilitate people-to-people exchanges among BRI countries.

Huang Tianshu, a professor at Tsinghua University, explained that the character yong, resembling ripples in water, symbolizes the flow of time and the enduring nature of Chinese culture. He emphasized that yong represents both historical continuity and a hopeful vision for lasting cooperation and friendship.

Youth representatives from countries such as China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Indonesia and Laos attended the event.

The annual Chinese character release event has been held since 2016, with previous Chinese characters including he (harmony), xin (innovation) and gong (together).

Xinhua