Liu Qibao delivers a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the International Seminar on the Belt and Road Initiative which opened in Xi'an on Sept. 26, 2016.[Photo by Tang Yue/chinadaily.com.cn]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Friends,

The ancient Silk Road is a great treasure of history, and the Belt and Road initiative is a Chinese solution of oriental wisdom designed to pursue common prosperity and development. Although China is the proponent and promoter, the Belt and Road development is a common cause for all parties. Building the Belt and Road is to establish a cooperation network of mutual benefit rather than creating any sphere of influence. We encourage all flowers to bloom together, rather than doing a solo show; we advocate common development, not a zero-sum game. The Belt and Road are wide and open avenues, not private exclusive roads. China welcomes countries along the routes to actively participate and invites friends from the rest of the world to join this great project with open arms.

The Belt and Road development has seen a good beginning, with encouraging progress along both the land road and maritime route. We should ride the tide and be more united to push further development. Bearing the Silk Road spirit in mind, we need to consolidate common understanding, better coordinate development strategies and find new opportunities, so as to provide more growth momentum, to speed up the march toward new goals, and contribute to building the Belt and Road that are green, healthy, intelligent and peaceful. Win-win cooperation is our common goal, while making it come true requires our joint effort. To this end, I'd like to share with you my views and suggestions on the matter.

First, we need to stick to the principle of mutual respect and trust, and reinforce the foundation for win-win cooperation. Mutual respect is the basis of mutual understanding, and mutual understanding is the premise of mutual trust. In conducting exchanges among either friends or between countries, we should respect and trust each other. The world is diverse with countries differing from one another in terms of size, strength and development level. We should give full respect to the right of all countries to choose their own social systems and development paths, and to their exploration and practice in advancing economic growth and social development in order to improve the lives of their people. The countries along the routes need to support each other on issues of significant and core interest, and seek common ground while putting differences aside. More understanding, more trust, unity and collaboration, sincerity and friendliness are needed in the Belt and Road development. We should carry out cooperation on a voluntary basis and on the principle of equality and mutual benefit.

Second, we need to be open and inclusive and seize the opportunities for win-win cooperation. Openness and inclusiveness are the characteristics of the ancient Silk Road and the experience of countries along the routes in pursuing development and prosperity, which is necessary to achieve greater success in the future. Through active consultations, participation, and sharing outcomes, we can pool wisdom together and obtain beneficial results for all, which will provide an open and inclusive platform for all the countries involved and help to form a community of common future. China's achievement is inseparable from the international community, and it's willing to make its contribution to global development.

At the recently concluded G20 Hangzhou Summit, President Xi Jinping said that China is at the starting point in adapting to a new normal economic development and adjusted growth model, which is also a new starting point to interact with the world and open up wider and deeper to the world. China is confident and capable of maintaining medium-high economic growth and realizing its own development while providing more opportunities to the world. Further development of the Belt and Road will form wider, deeper and higher-level regional cooperation and forge a framework for open, inclusive and balanced cooperation benefiting all parties. Countries along the routes should jointly drive the train of development and head for an even brighter future.

Third, we need to be pragmatic and innovative and stimulate the impetus for win-win cooperation. The foundation of the Belt and Road construction lies in interconnectivity, and the driving force comes from down-to-earth work and innovation. Against the backdrop of risks and challenges facing the world, cooperation in innovation is the key to boosting global economic recovery and answers the need of our time for coping with these issues and achieving sustainable development. The countries along the routes have different advantages in natural resources and human capital, providing huge potential for innovative and pragmatic cooperation.

In the beginning of this year, China released its 13th Five-Year Plan from 2016 to 2020 for its economic and social development, which highlights the five principles of development－innovation, coordination, green development, opening up and sharing, to fulfill its goals. An innovation-driven development strategy will be implemented and more growth momentums are expected to be unleashed. So long as we take the historic opportunity of the new round of technological and industrial revolution, establish a network for mutual benefit, work out new modes of cooperation and create a multiple cooperation platform, we will be able to give full play to the potential and advantages of related parties and turn the complementarity in all economies into a booster of dynamic growth, practical innovation and mutually beneficial cooperation through joint efforts.

Fourth, we need to stick to peace and development and safeguard the path toward win-win cooperation. The evolution of the ancient Silk Road proves that there's no development without peace and no prosperity without security. Solidarity and harmonious coexistence is the gene of the Chinese nation and is also the essence of the Eastern civilization. China persists in peaceful development, which is not a policy of expedience but a strategic choice. It is a solemn commitment to the world. China adheres to an independent and peaceful foreign policy and a more balanced approach to upholding principles and pursuing interests and seeks the peaceful settlement of disputes through diplomatic measures. The Chinese people are willing, together with people along the routes, to maintain a conscience of the humankind and safeguard international justice, so as to make the Belt and Road a route of sunshine and peace.