Fiji Joins BRI Partners In Port Cooperation Plan
Fiji has joined 11 other countries to set up the Maritime Silk Road Port Cooperation Mechanism under the Belt and Road Forum framework.
The agreement was signed under the multilateral cooperation mechanisms under the Belt and Road Initiative.
The Ningbo Initiative on the Maritime Silk Road Port Cooperation was also released as part of the signing.
Deliverables were reached by parties in the run up to and during the course of the three-day forum which, was attended by delegates and business representatives from over 15O countries.
Agreements reached include inter-governmental cooperation agreements, practical cooperation projects, the initiation of multilateral dialogue and cooperation platforms in specific areas.
President Xi said business representatives who participated in the forum’s curtain raiser event on Thursday; the first CEO conference, signed cooperation agreements worth over US$64 billion.
He said this shows that the BRI is not only widely supported but is also in sync with the times and is beneficial to all parties.
Media acknowledged
He also acknowledged the media for their support in reporting about the BRI since its inception five years ago and commended their hard work.
“Since the BRI was proposed in 2013 and especially after the first BRF, countries concerned have made concerted efforts to expand policy communication, upgrade infrastructure connectivity, advance economic trade and investment cooperation, enhance financial cooperation and facilitate people to people exchange,” President Xi told the media.
“The early harvest of belt and road cooperation achieved so far have opened up greater space, national and global economic growth, provided a platform for enhancing international cooperation and made a fresh contribution in building a community with a shared future for mankind.”
“We will continue to promote land, sea, air and cyber connectivity, develop high quality sustainable resilient affordable inclusive and accessible infrastructure,” he said.
“This will make the projects more sustainable and create a fair and non-discriminatory environment for foreign investors.”
Cultural exchanges
Belt and Road countries have also agreed to conduct extensive and multifaceted people to people and cultural exchanges and launch more cooperation projects for the benefit of its people.
“We all want to make belt and road cooperation development oriented and also support global development particularly the implementation of the UN 2O3O agenda for sustainable development and will strive for clean, no carbon sustainable development,” President Xi said.
He stressed the importance of assisting developing countries to break bottlenecks to development so they can better partake in and benefit from global value, industrial and supply chains.
“This year’s forum sends a clear message,” he said.
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