BEIJING: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will attend and address the opening ceremony of the 2020 meeting of the Advisory Council of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) via video link on Dec. 18, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin announced here Thursday. The BRF Advisory Council aims to provide intellectual support for the BRF and related international cooperation. Its members include former politicians, experts and scholars.
The First Meeting of the Advisory Council of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) was convened on 16-17 December 2018 in Beijing, China. H.E. Mr. Yang Jiechi, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, attended and addressed the opening ceremony and met with members of the Council. Mr. Le Yucheng, Deputy Foreign Minister of China hosted a welcome dinner for the Council members. The meeting was chaired by Amb. Zhang Jun, Convenor of the Council, had discussed the following topics: 1) Synergies between the Belt and Road Initiative and the 2030 Agenda in promoting world economic growth; 2) Priorities for the Belt and Road cooperation; and 3) Ways forward in strengthening the architecture and capacity building for the Belt and Road cooperation.
Council members spoke highly of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the progress made so far. They shared the view that the BRI cooperation helps to build an open world economy, promote sustainable development, and address global challenges. Council members suggested all parties to stay true to the principle of extensive consultation, joint efforts and shared benefits, and strengthen practical cooperation in all areas with a focus on infrastructure connectivity so as to achieve more early-harvests, contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and promote interconnected and common development. Council members expected the second BRF meeting in 2019 to uphold multilateralism, deepen cooperation, step up institutional development and capacity building and produce more deliverables for win-win results. To that end, constructive proposals and recommendations were put forward.
The BRF Advisory Council is a non-profit international policy advisory body, offering intellectual support to the BRF. Its members include former political leaders and global eminent persons with diverse backgrounds from international organizations, the business community and academia. –PNP
