Xi Jinping on The Belt and Road Initiative

Xi Jinping is the proponent and chief architect of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which he first proposed in 2013 with the goal of creating a vast global network focused on enhancing policy, infrastructure, trade, financial, and people-to-people connectivity. He frames the BRI as central to Chinese foreign policy, designed to inject impetus into the global economy and build a community with a shared future for humanity, moving beyond the historical Silk Road concept. The initiative has expanded significantly, involving over 150 countries and international organizations by late 2023, evolving from initial conceptualization to implementing signature projects and specialized multilateral cooperation platforms.

The leader views the BRI as a pathway to achieve high-quality development, echoing the 'Silk Road spirit' of peace, cooperation, openness, and mutual benefit, while explicitly rejecting ideological confrontation, geopolitical rivalry, or bloc politics. As the initiative marks its first decade, his focus has shifted towards strengthening its institutional building and pursuing higher-quality development, promising eight major steps including forming a multidimensional connectivity network and removing foreign investment restrictions in China's manufacturing sector. He consistently stresses that the BRI transcends differences in civilizations, cultures, and political systems, ensuring it remains an open and inclusive process.