On December 2, 2024, at the fourth Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Construction Work Symposium, General Secretary Xi Jinping fully affirmed the significant achievements made in jointly building the BRI. He comprehensively deployed measures to promote the high-quality development of the BRI for the current and upcoming periods, providing important guidelines for the next golden decade of promoting high-quality co-construction of the BRI. His forward-looking and profound speech, with a clear path guidance and firm strategic determination, showcased to the world the bright prospects of this long-term, cross-border, systematic global project and century project. It injected strong confidence and momentum into the joint efforts of countries to build an open, inclusive, interconnected, and jointly developing world.

Currently, changes in the world, the era, and history are unfolding in unprecedented ways. The historical trend towards peace, development, cooperation, and win-win outcomes is irresistible. However, at the same time, hegemonic, domineering, and bullying acts such as using strength to bully the weak, plundering by cunning means, and zero-sum games remain deeply harmful. Forces of division and unity, progress and retreat are intertwined in a complex game, pushing humanity to a historical crossroads. In this era of chaos and change, the calls for world peace, national development, and people’s happiness are becoming more intense, highlighting the global significance of jointly building the “Belt and Road.”

Since President Xi Jinping proposed the initiative to jointly build the “Belt and Road” in 2013, this century project has transformed from vision to reality, from broad strokes to detailed craftsmanship. The areas of cooperation have continuously expanded, the scope of cooperation has widened, and the levels of cooperation have been elevated. Its international appeal, influence, and cohesion have steadily increased, achieving significant accomplishments. It has contributed to strengthening friendships with participating countries and promoted their economic and social development, making a Chinese contribution.

The “Belt and Road” Initiative connects points into lines and weaves lines into surfaces, sketching out a new vision of common development for humanity: countries sharing a common destiny, united in solidarity over thousands of miles, transforming natural barriers into thoroughfares and landlocked nations into land-linked ones, turning development lowlands into prosperous highlands through cooperation and coordinated actions. Countries with faster economic development lend a helping hand to those temporarily lagging behind, viewing each other as friends and partners, respecting, supporting, and achieving success together.

Jointly building the “Belt and Road” emphasizes that many threads woven together make the flame burn brighter and mutual assistance ensures a longer journey ahead. It advocates not only thriving oneself but also helping others thrive, practicing interconnectivity and mutual benefit, aiming for shared development and win-win cooperation. It does not engage in ideological confrontation, geopolitical games, or bloc politics, opposes unilateral sanctions, economic coercion, and “decoupling and cutting off supply chains.”

The 11-year journey of the “Belt and Road” Initiative has proven that the realization of this new vision of common development is not only possible but inevitable.