Silk Road forum held in Beijing

The 2023 forum on "Benefiting All Mankind: Dialogue with the Silk Road" was convened in Beijing on Dec. 6, 2023 with a combination of online and offline participation.

The 2023 forum on "Benefiting All Mankind: Dialogue with the Silk Road" was convened in Beijing on Dec. 6, 2023. [Photo/CICG]

Themed "Carrying on the Silk Road Culture to Jointly Promote the Well-Being of the People", the forum brought together representatives from governments, think tanks, and research institutions from around the world. They discussed ways to enhance people-to-people exchanges among countries along the Belt and Road, aiming to gather wisdom and strength for building a global community of shared future.

Gao Anming, vice president of China International Communications Group (CICG), speaks at the Forum in Beijing on Dec. 6, 2023. [Photo/CICG]

Gao Anming, vice president of China International Communications Group (CICG), noted that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has brought closer the hearts of people in China and its BRI partner countries, and fostered more in-depth cross-civilization exchanges. He emphasized CICG's commitment to the exchange of experience in governance between China and foreign countries, as well as the exchange and mutual learning of the different civilizations. He also made clear CICG’s full support for its subsidiary think tanks in cooperating with their foreign counterparts on BRI-themed dialogues.

Mushahid Hussain Sayed, chairman of the Pakistan Senate Defense Committee and chairman of the Pakistan-China Institute, speaks via video link at the Forum on Dec. 6, 2023. [Photo/CICG]

Mushahid Hussain Sayed, chairman of the Pakistan Senate Defense Committee and chairman of the Pakistan-China Institute, said that BRI is the most significant initiative of the 21st century, and its flagship projects like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor have played a crucial role in lifting millions of people out of poverty around the world. He added that as a new platform for international cooperation, BRI will see even more promising prospects of development, guided by the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits.

Serik Nugerbekov, head of the G-Global International Secretariat, speaks via video link at the Forum on Dec. 6, 2023. [Photo/CICG]

Serik Nugerbekov, head of the G-Global International Secretariat, a Kazakhstan-based international platform, observed that in a world marked by conflicts, wars, and declining influence of international organizations like the U.N., it's imperative for the global community to establish more non-governmental exchange platforms to facilitate people-to-people interactions and promote development of projects under BRI.

During the forum, the research report "Chinese Modernization and the Cooperation with South Asia Under BRI" was released. This report was the latest result of the collaborative research by CICG's Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies (ACCWS) and the Pakistan-China Institute. It was also one of a series of reports on "Understanding the Chinese Modernization".

Compiling compelling cases of China's collaborative efforts with South Asian nations like Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka under the BRI framework, the report provides a nuanced analysis of the profound significance of common modernization for the countries in South Asia. Additionally, it offers recommendations for fostering stronger collaboration between China and South Asian nations in their modernization drive.

The event was co-hosted by ACCWS, the Pakistan-China Institute, the G-Global International Secretariat, the Indonesia-China Friendship Association, the EU-Asia Center, the Belt and Road Cooperation Research Center in Thailand, Han Culture Centre Malaysia, the Center for International Cultural Communication under CICG, and Beijing Huasheng International Media Center.