The International Silk Road Think Tank Association was launched on Tuesday in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, to provide sustained intellectual support for China's Belt and Road Initiative.

The initiative refers to the proposal by President Xi Jinping to build a Silk Road Economic Belt and a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

Extensive exchanges between think tanks along the old trade routes will deepen people's understanding of the development initiative and avoid misunderstandings between countries, which have different policies and concerns, said Guo Yezhou, vice-minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee.