Zhao Lei: Unswervingly Advancing the High-Quality Joint Construction of the "Belt and Road" [1]
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has transitioned from a Chinese proposal to international practice and from a concept into action, entering a new stage of high-quality development. The Central Economic Work Conference held in December 2024 clarified the key tasks for 2025, including "expanding high-level opening up to the outside world, and stabilizing foreign trade and foreign investment." One specific task is to "promote the high-quality joint construction of the 'Belt and Road' to go deeper and more practical, and to improve the comprehensive overseas service system." Previously, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized at the fourth symposium on the construction of the Belt and Road that "opportunities and challenges coexist in promoting the high-quality development of the 'Belt and Road,' but overall, opportunities outweigh challenges." Faces with the current grim and complex international environment, we must summarize achievements and experience, analyze the new situation, and unswervingly advance high-quality BRI cooperation with innovative thinking and solid actions.
Global Influence and Strategic Significance
As the first global, large-scale, and all-round international economic cooperation initiative proposed by China after the Reform and Opening-up [1], the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" has achieved remarkable results through years of pragmatic promotion. Maintaining strategic resolve and promoting the high-quality development of the BRI to go deeper and more practical demonstrates strategic foresight and is of extraordinary significance.
High-quality BRI cooperation is the primary path for expanding high-level opening up, creating a favorable external environment for advancing Chinese-path modernization. Reform and Opening-up is the "key move" [2] that determines the success or failure of Chinese-path modernization. Deepening Chinese-path modernization requires attracting global resources and factors via the internal cycle of the "dual circulation" [3] and enhancing the linkage between domestic and international markets and resources. In recent years, China has continuously relaxed market access for foreign investment. The 2024 version of the national negative list for foreign investment access was reduced to 29 items, and restrictions in the manufacturing sector were completely eliminated. By the end of 2023, Chinese domestic investors had established 48,000 overseas enterprises in 189 countries and regions, 17,000 of which were in BRI partner countries. Theoretically, an increase in the proportion of reinvested earnings by overseas enterprises reflects their value-added capabilities and their confidence in long-term investment. In 2023, the performance of Chinese overseas enterprises was solid, with nearly 70% profitable or breaking even, and reinvested earnings totaling $78.46 billion, accounting for 44.2% of China's total outward direct investment (ODI) flow during the same period.
High-quality BRI cooperation provides strategic support for major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics and serves as an important platform for promoting the construction of a community with a shared future for humanity. Constructing a community with a shared future for humanity is the noble goal pursued by major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the New Era. In the process of high-quality BRI cooperation, the economic system couples with the diplomatic system to better promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, building a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness, inclusiveness, and cleanliness. In the future, China will further inherit and carry forward the Silk Road spirit of "peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning, and mutual benefit." By actively building a multidimensional BRI connectivity network, carrying out pragmatic cooperation projects, and supporting people-to-people exchanges, China will contribute more Chinese wisdom to the great practice of building a community with a shared future for humanity.
Coexistence of Opportunities and Challenges
The "Belt and Road" has evolved from "sketching the broad outlines" (dàxiěyì) to "meticulous brushwork" (gōngbǐhuà) [4], becoming a widely welcomed global public good and a platform for international cooperation. It has injected new impetus and opened new space for world economic prosperity, with its international appeal, influence, and cohesion continuously strengthening. In November 2023, the document Vision and Actions for High-Quality Belt and Road Cooperation: Brighter Prospects for the Next Decade was released, proposing a series of visions and pragmatic measures, showcasing an even brighter future.
An international cooperation initiative that has persisted steadily for more than a decade demonstrates immense strategic foresight, courage, and resolve. Its influence has already shown positive changes from quantitative to qualitative transformation. Regarding project types, the construction of major projects in infrastructure and industrial capacity cooperation has been basically completed, and new projects are continuously being added. For example, the first phase of the Chancay Port project—a key project of high-quality BRI cooperation between China and Peru—was officially put into use in November 2024. As South America's first smart port, it has a strong demonstration effect for attracting other South American countries. Regarding corporate entities, state-owned enterprises (SOEs), such as Central Enterprises [5], are the main force, while private enterprises are the new force (shēnglìjūn); the two complement and support each other in promoting cooperation and project construction.
Currently, alongside the in-depth development of a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, the digitalization, greening, and intellectualization of the world economy are accelerating. Information technology changes every day, leading new transformations in social production. The digital economy has become a vital component of the global economy, and green development has become a global consensus. High-quality BRI cooperation conforms to the universal laws of economic, technological, and social development and the trends of the times. There is vast space for strengthening cooperation and cultivating new growth points in digital and green fields. Cooperation results on the "Digital Silk Road" are increasingly evident. At the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, many countries expressed their desire to deepen cooperation with China on the "Green Silk Road."
However, we must also recognize that the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation. Unilateralism and protectionism are clearly on the rise, local conflicts and instability occur frequently, and the adverse effects of changes in the external environment are deepening. Against this backdrop, we must properly respond to various risks and challenges, effectively overcome the impact of geopolitical conflicts, and improve the level of systemic risk prevention and control. We must promote communication and alignment among partner countries, strengthen the sense of a "security community," and correctly handle the relationship between "enhancing the sense of gain [6] for partner countries" and "upholding our own interests." In particular, we should focus on infrastructure, health, green ecology, and education—fields that are "visible and tangible" to the people of partner countries—to enhance their sense of gain and happiness. We should leverage the role of "small yet beautiful" livelihood projects [7] as "lubricants" and "adhesives" to deepen mutual trust and the integration of interests. Simultaneously, we must prioritize the improvement of the overseas comprehensive service system and explore the establishment of a 24/7 early-warning and assessment service platform for overseas project risks. Chinese enterprises abroad should strengthen pragmatic cooperation, complying with both Chinese laws and local laws/international rules, enhancing their ability to prevent overseas integrity risks, and strengthening project supervision.
Strengthening Mechanisms and Holistic Planning
Mechanism building plays an important role in effectively responding to external risks and actively shaping a favorable external environment; it "governs the direction and the long term." To ensure the steady and long-term development of high-quality BRI cooperation, we need to improve the coordinated management mechanism for cooperation planning, the mechanism for coordinated advancement of "hard connectivity," "soft connectivity," and "heart connectivity," the pragmatic cooperation mechanism for industrial and supply chains, the international exchange mechanism for emerging fields, the diversified guarantee mechanism for investment and financing, the internal and external coordination mechanism for risk prevention, and the cooperation mechanism for a "Clean Silk Road." We must always insist that all cooperation operates "under the sun," eliminating obstacles to external economic cooperation.
Jointly building the "Belt and Road" is a systemic project. As it enters the stage of high-quality development, its systemic nature becomes more prominent. To expand a new space for win-win development that is higher-level, more resilient, and more sustainable, we must emphasize holistic planning.
First, coordinate the deepening of "hard connectivity" in infrastructure, "soft connectivity" in rules and standards, and "heart connectivity" with the people of partner countries. Over the years, "hard connectivity" has seen landmark projects land or make significant progress annually. With the "six corridors, six routes, and multiple countries and ports" as its basic framework, the BRI has accelerated the construction of a multi-level, composite infrastructure network, playing a key role in trade, industrial capacity, and cultural exchange. In October 2023, the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway—a "golden brand" of China-Indonesia BRI cooperation—was officially opened; in December 2024, the launch ceremony for the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) Railway project was held. The CKU Railway is a landmark project that will significantly alleviate the geographic constraints on Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Regarding "soft connectivity," we can introduce rules and standards supported by all parties, advocate for alignment with international rules, and encourage developing countries to adopt standards suited to their own needs. "Heart connectivity" helps build a tighter network of global partnerships. For instance, in June 2024, the China-Laos-Thailand-Malaysia cross-border train of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor departed from Chongqing, promoting economic cooperation and industrial linkage. 2024 was designated as the "Year of China-ASEAN People-to-People Exchanges." By treating "hard connectivity" as the direction, "soft connectivity" as the support, and "heart connectivity" as the foundation, we will achieve result-sharing and developmental linkage.
Second, coordinate the promotion of major landmark projects and "small yet beautiful" livelihood projects. High-quality BRI cooperation aims for high standards, sustainability, and livelihood improvement, focusing on poverty elimination, employment, and bettering lives. If major landmark projects are like "arteries," then "small yet beautiful" projects are like "capillaries." Coordinating both enhances the sense of gain and happiness of people in partner countries and broadens the consensus on the BRI. Livelihoods are linked to the hearts of the people. Most BRI countries are developing nations lacking vocational skills for industrialization. To date, China has cooperated to build over 30 "Luban Workshops" [8] across Asia, Europe, and Africa, training nearly 10,000 students in degree education and providing vocational training to over 31,000 people. These workshops focus on demand-driven fields—such as industrial robots, new energy, and the Internet of Things (IoT)—to help young people find employment. Practice proves that high-quality BRI cooperation requires not just "connecting roads" (tōnglù) but "connecting hearts" (tōngxīn). Livelihood projects with "warmth" are the most effective in achieving resonance.
Third, coordinate the consolidation of traditional cooperation and the steady expansion into emerging fields. Promoting high-quality BRI cooperation requires optimizing the "stock" and creating "increments." If traditional fields are the stock, emerging fields are the increments. The "Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese-path Modernization" (Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee) proposed continuing the Belt and Road Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan and strengthening multilateral platforms in green development, the digital economy, AI, energy, taxation, finance, and disaster reduction. In the digital age, high-quality BRI cooperation is inseparable from digital empowerment. In 2024, the first meeting of the China-Singapore digital policy dialogue mechanism facilitated cross-border data flow and new digital trade models. Currently, AI is developing rapidly; in 2023, President Xi Jinping noted in his keynote speech at the Third Belt and Road Forum that China is "willing to strengthen exchange and dialogue with all countries to jointly promote the healthy, orderly, and safe development of global AI." Furthermore, green development and health are promising emerging fields. Regarding the "Health Silk Road," Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) demonstrates rich value; the "Development Plan for the High-Quality Integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine into the Belt and Road (2021–2025)" has been issued to guide this.
Openness is a distinct hallmark of Chinese-path modernization. By unswervingly advancing the high-quality development of the "Belt and Road," and promoting the coordinated development of imports and exports, trade in goods and services, bilateral trade and two-way investment, and trade and industry, we will promote the orderly and free flow of factors and the deep integration of markets. This will certainly create more development opportunities and space, providing more impetus for Chinese-path modernization and global common development.