Intl seminar on Belt and Road Initiative held in Cuba

HAVANA - An international seminar on the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was held here on Wednesday to mark the 10th anniversary of the mutually beneficial and cooperative initiative.

Ma Hui, Chinese Ambassador to Cuba, said that the BRI has deepened practical cooperation and mutual learning among civilizations.

"China will continue to promote world peace and progress with its own stability and development and work together with all parties to achieve win-win cooperation and build a community with a shared future for mankind," said Ma.

The diplomat added that there is a long way to go for a global economic recovery with unprecedented challenges facing human society.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Ambassador to Cuba Nana Yuliana said at the seminar that trade between Indonesia and China has grown over the past five years.

The BRI provides an excellent opportunity to develop Indonesia's connectivity and infrastructure and strengthen its position in the global market, she added.

The BRI, which consists of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, was proposed by China in 2013 to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia and the rest of the world.

Over the past decade, more than 150 countries and 32 international organizations have signed documents under the BRI framework.

"Chinese projects under the Belt and Road Initiative demonstrate the commitment of both countries to strengthen bilateral ties, promote economic development and foster cooperation in various sectors, including infrastructure, trade and energy," said Maher El-Adawy, Egyptian Ambassador to Cuba.

Echoing Adawy's point, Pakistani Ambassador to Cuba Shahbaz Malik said that joint projects between Pakistan and China under the BRI have contributed significantly to developing the energy and transport sectors.

"Pakistan and China enjoy a time-tested, unique and consistent relationship. It is an iron-clad brotherhood based on mutual trust and credibility," he said.

The BRI is marked by an open practice guided by the principles of consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, said Eduardo Regalado, senior researcher at the International Policy Research Center of Cuba.

"The Belt and Road Initiative strengthens the construction of a multipolar world aimed at building a fair order and governance that meet the needs of development and peace," he added.