The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee held its 10th briefing session on issues of major concern, in Beijing on Nov 17, with a focus on promoting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. Vice-chairpersons of the CPPCC National Committee Mu Hong, Xian Hui, Jiang Zuojun and Qin Boyong attended the meeting. 

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. The past decade has witnessed significant achievements in the Belt and Road cooperation. The successful holding of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and the newly-announced eight major steps have initiated a new phase of the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. 

Wu Hao, secretary general of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), briefed the meeting that the NDRC undertakes the responsibilities as the leading group office for promoting high-quality development of the Belt and Road. He said that, over the past decade, the Belt and Road cooperation has focused on facilitating policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration and closer people-to-people ties, ushering in establishing a new model for global connectivity, opening up a new path of common prosperity and development, and the exploration of new solutions for the global governance system transformation.

Wu noted that the NDRC will continue to consolidate existing cooperation, expand new horizons of practical cooperation, strengthen the risk prevention and control network of overseas projects, and enhance international communication capabilities and levels.

Guo Tingting, vice-minister of commerce, told the attendees that the ministry has actively promoted economic and trade cooperation under the BRI, providing strong support for the deepened and solid development of the Belt and Road cooperation, with fruitful outcomes in facilitating trade, two-way investment and project cooperation, expanding opening-up platforms, and upgrading economic and trade mechanisms. 

The Ministry of Commerce (MOC) will continue to improve the quality and efficiency of trade and investment, promote the construction of overseas projects, open new fields for cooperation to further deepen bilateral and multilateral economic and trade cooperation, with a focus on the eight actions proposed at the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, Guo added.

At the meeting, CPPCC members exchanged views with officials from the NDRC and the MOC on topics such as the characteristics of the new stage of Belt and Road cooperation, the promotion of landmark projects and "small yet smart" projects, in addition to the advancements in software connectivity and people-to-people connectivity. They also discussed how to prevent and solve major risks encountered by enterprises in their process of going global, the challenges faced by current tripartite and multi-party cooperation, the breakthroughs in expanding new areas of cooperation, and the promotion of a more balanced trade environment.