From taking root to sustainable development, the circle of friends in the joint construction of the Belt and Road is getting bigger and bigger, there are more and more good partners, the quality of cooperation is getting higher and higher, and the development prospects are getting better and better. 2023 is the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping's joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. This fully demonstrates that the joint construction of the Belt and Road meets the needs of the world's development, complies with the expectations of the international community, and has always maintained strong resilience and vigorous vitality.

Great potential for China-Philippines cooperation

China and the Philippines are close neighbors separated by a strip of water, with huge potential for cooperation. The two sides attach great importance to infrastructure construction, and are willing to continue to deepen the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and the docking of multi-building and construction planning, promote high-quality cooperation in infrastructure projects, and promote economic growth. The two sides renewed the Memorandum of Understanding on Belt and Road Cooperation, signed the Pasig River Bridge Project Framework Agreement and the handover certificate of the Chinese-aided infrastructure project in the Philippines. The two sides will further deepen cooperation in infrastructure construction, build key projects such as the Davao-Samal Bridge, discuss economic and trade innovation and development cooperation at agreed locations, and jointly maintain the stability of the production and supply chain. The signing of the memorandum of understanding between China and Turkey on the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative is conducive to deepening mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries in an all-round way. The two sides will step up the synergy between the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and the revival of the Silk Road strategy, and promote the simultaneous development of cooperation in various fields between the two countries.

The joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative complies with the historical trend of economic globalization, the requirements of the times for the transformation of the global governance system, and the strong desire of the people of all countries to live a better life. This is the fundamental reason why it has always maintained its strong resilience and vitality. At present, 151 countries and 32 international organizations have signed more than 200 cooperation documents on the joint construction of the Belt and Road with China. On January 10, the World Bank released the latest "Global Economic Prospects" report, lowering the global economic growth forecast in 2023 to 1.7%, which is 1.3 percentage points lower than the forecast in June 2022. Against the backdrop of headwinds in economic globalization and sluggish world economic recovery, the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative will play an even more important role in promoting the economic growth of relevant countries and regions and promoting global common development. According to the World Bank's 2019 research report, if all transportation infrastructure projects under the framework of the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative are implemented, by 2030, it is expected to generate US$1.6 trillion in annual revenue for the world, accounting for 1.3% of the global economic aggregate. In the future, it will be the general trend for more countries to join hands in high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative.

The joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative originated in China, and the opportunities and achievements belong to the world. The joint construction of the Belt and Road has built a new platform for international trade and investment. Statistics show that from 2013 to 2021, China's cumulative trade in goods with countries along the Belt and Road has reached nearly 11 trillion U.S. dollars, and two-way investment has exceeded 230 billion U.S. dollars. Jointly build the Belt and Road to promote facility connectivity. Roads to happiness, bridges connecting hearts, and prosperous ports have become boosters for narrowing development gaps and engines for common prosperity, making new contributions to improving people's livelihood and well-being in all countries. High-quality co-construction of the Belt and Road follows the development trend of the fourth industrial revolution, grasps the opportunities for digital, networked, and intelligent development, explores new growth drivers and development paths, builds a digital silk road, innovates the silk road, and contributes to the ancient silk Inject new life into the road. Martin Albrow, a British sociologist and one of the pioneers of the concept of globalization, pointed out that the Belt and Road Initiative connects China's peaceful development with the prosperity and happiness of the entire world.

As an important public product provided by China to improve global governance, the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative will continue to innovate and act proactively, emphasizing seeking common ground while reserving differences, inclusiveness, and promoting the incremental reform of the existing international order and international rules. The joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and its core concept of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits have been written into relevant documents of the United Nations, the G20, APEC and other regional organizations, and have become an important consensus on global governance. The establishment of multilateral development institutions and cooperation platforms such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund has promoted the development of the global governance system in a more just and reasonable direction. Tan Zheli, a senior researcher at the Mbeki African Leadership Institute at the University of South Africa, said that the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative has contributed an important force to the improvement of global governance.

Standing at a new starting point, China will continue to work with all parties to build a path of peace, prosperity, openness, greenness, innovation, and civilization, so that the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, a century-old project, will better benefit the people of all countries. Editor/He Yuting