Is Belt & Road Initiative the answer to achieve common prosperity?

APD NEWS

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How do we achieve common prosperity around the world? Is China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) the answer?

In his speech at this year’s Boao Forum, Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed the mission of the BRI. President Xi said the idea comes from China, but its opportunities and fruits belong to the whole world. He added that China has no geopolitical calculations, seeks no exclusiveness, and will not impose business deals on others.

Countries along the trade route maintained that projects under the initiative have come to their rescue by delivering better connectivity.

Austrian President Alexander Van Der Bellen said connectivity contributes to greater prosperity. “Infrastructure, digitalization, and people to people contacts, all these provided in both directions, and not unilaterally," Bellen said, adding that prosperity was enjoyed by people from both countries.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte noted that cooperation in infrastructure development is building a bridge for the understanding between peoples from the two countries. "The Philippines and China are partners in the building of infrastructure,” he said, while stressing that the Philippines' destiny is in Asia.

John Aquilina, Malta's Ambassador to China , said the project under the Belt and Road Initiative was turning the ancient energy authority in his country into a modern and efficient one.

“The Shanghai Electric power was able to invest 330 million euros in Malta, which is 30 percent of Malta's energy authority,” he said. He added that the BRI provided the answer to achieve common prosperity.

(CGTN)