STORY: China-proposed BRI produces shared benefits: experts
DATELINE: July 16, 2023
LENGTH: 00:03:39
LOCATION: HARBIN, China
CATEGORY: POLITICS/ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of ports and projects under the Belt and Road Initiative
2. various of a symposium on Belt and Road cooperation
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): KISHORE MAHBUBANI, Fellow at the Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): SIDDHARTH CHATTERJEE, UN resident coordinator in China
5. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): LIN YIFU, Dean of the Institute of New Structural Economics at Peking University

STORYLINE:

Participants at a symposium have praised the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a timely endeavor to uphold openness and win-win cooperation, with its positive outcomes fostering a shared future for humanity.

The Symposium on High-quality Belt and Road Cooperation was held Friday in the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin, joined by members of the Advisory Council of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, diplomatic envoys to China, and representatives from the United Nations, etc.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): KISHORE MAHBUBANI, Fellow at the Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore
"I think the BRI is a very timely initiative by China, because it shows China's commitment to keeping an open world economy. And that's important because this is taking place at a time when the traditional custodians of an open world economy are losing faith in globalization, in global trade, in keeping the markets open. And the fact that over 150 countries have signed up to participate in the BRI shows that in many ways, the BRI is protecting both the concept and the practice of an open world economy.
The BRI has invested (about) 1 trillion U.S. dollars in over 3,000 projects, and that's a massive amount of investment. And each of these investments, whether it's in railways or roads, promotes economic development, and improves the well-being of people. It removes poverty. And so in that sense, it definitely promotes common prosperity both in China and overseas. So the BRI, therefore, is in many ways a win-win deal for China and for its partners in the BRI."

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): SIDDHARTH CHATTERJEE, UN resident coordinator in China
"I see the role of the Belt and Road Initiative as crucial to advancing the intentions of the Sustainable Development Goals. It is crucial that it has a variety of member states coming together to advance the Sustainable Development Goals because ultimately, that is what is meant to give humanity the boost that it needs to advance."

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): LIN YIFU, Dean of Institute of New Structural Economics at Peking University
"The Belt and Road Initiative is a bold campaign to promote international development and cooperation, and to realize the goal of building a community with a shared future for mankind.
That is why it requires extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. I think poverty should be eliminated with joint efforts. The construction of the BRI based on the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits has already produced concrete achievements in realizing such a goal. 7.6 million people would be lifted from absolute poverty, and 32 million people from moderate poverty (by 2030) thanks to the construction of the BRI. I believe that in the future, as the BRI advances, there will be more good results to be seen."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Harbin, China.
(XHTV)