The second Belt and Road Forum on People-to-People Connectivity, hosted by the Western Returned Scholars Association (Overseas-educated Scholars Association of China), was held in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu province, on Sept 3.

Yang Zhen, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and president of the Western Returned Scholars Association, delivered the opening address.

Yang noted that over the 13 years since the Belt and Road Initiative was proposed, the initiative has become a major platform and pathway for practicing the global governance vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity. People-to-people connectivity is the social foundation of Belt and Road cooperation and its deepest and most enduring source of strength, he added.

He said the forum aims to give full play to the role of the association as a dynamic force in people-to-people diplomacy, strengthen public support through cultural exchanges, share vivid stories of Belt and Road partner countries working together for development, and build a solid foundation of public support for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

Yang expressed hope that Chinese students and scholars studying overseas would actively engage in cross-border and cross-civilization exchanges and cooperation, and become practitioners of building a community with a shared future for humanity. He encouraged them to share with the world stories of the Chinese people's pursuit of their dreams and of Belt and Road partner countries pursuing mutual benefit and better lives for their people, and tell stories of Belt and Road cooperation. He also called on them to build platforms for exchanges among Chinese and foreign young people and promote friendship between younger generations in China and Belt and Road partner countries.

Themed "Bridging Hearts Along the Silk Road, Forging Consensus in Nanjing: Strengthening People-to-People Connectivity for a Shared Belt and Road Community," the forum brought together relevant officials from government departments of Jiangsu and Nanjing, as well as overseas-educated scholars, entrepreneurs, experts, and scholars from countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.