On August 14, 2022, the Sixth Silk Road International Exposition and the Investment and Trade Forum for Cooperation between East and West China opened in Xi'an. Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi attended and addressed the opening ceremony.
Yang Jiechi noted that Shaanxi and Xi'an were the cradle of, and witness to, the glory of the ancient Silk Road. Today, as an important hub on the Belt and Road and a frontier of opening to the west, Shaanxi and Xi'an are embracing the world with an entirely new posture and making greater strides in high-level opening-up and high-quality development. Over the past nine years since President Xi Jinping put forward the Belt and Road Initiative, China and relevant countries have jointly upheld the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, achieving tangible and fruitful outcomes in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. There has been solid progress in the physical connectivity of infrastructure, and many a highlight in the institutional connectivity of rules and standards. The people-to-people connectivity featuring mutual learning and assistance has continuously deepened, and the circle of friends constantly expanded. The Belt and Road cooperation has become a popular global public good and a platform for international cooperation, exhibiting ever greater vitality and appeal.
Yang Jiechi quoted President Xi Jinping’s remarks at the third symposium on the Belt and Road Initiative as stressing the need to apply the new development philosophy in full, in the right way, and in all fields of endeavor, and to continuously push for new progress in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation to make it high-standard, sustainable and people-centered. China advocates that all parties should help each other to pull through the difficult times, and work jointly to protect human life and health, consolidate the foundation of connectivity cooperation, steadily explore new areas of cooperation, and deliver landmark livelihood projects. It is important to unswervingly deepen the Belt and Road cooperation, work for the early recovery and growth of the world economy, and strive to build the Belt and Road into a "development belt" that benefits the world and a "road to happiness" that benefits people of all countries.
Yang Jiechi stressed that China needs a peaceful and stable international environment for its development, while the prosperity and development of the world would not be possible without the contributions of China as a key driving force. China will continue to develop sound and cooperative relations with all other countries on the basis of the principles of mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, and will, as always, respect and support the people of all countries in pursuing an independent development path, to jointly promote peace, stability, development and prosperity in the world. Meanwhile, China will never waver in its resolve and will to safeguard national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity. No forces can stop the complete reunification of China and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Khodjayev Jamshid Abdukhakimovich, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan, the guest of honor country, hailed the Silk Road International Exposition as one of great significance to deepening economic and trade cooperation among Belt and Road countries. He said Uzbekistan will work to leverage the complementary economic strengths between China and Uzbekistan to the maximum and further explore new drivers of cooperation to inject fresh vitality into bilateral development.