Business associations to contribute to Belt and Road

XI'AN, Sept - Over 40 business associations from "Belt and Road" countries issued the Xi'an Declaration on Wednesday at the Xi'an Silk Road Business Summit, held in northwest China's Shaanxi province Tuesday through Wednesday.

The 2016 Xi'an Declaration was issued by the Silk Road Chamber of International Commerce (SRCIC), which was established in December 2015.

In the declaration, representatives of the SRCIC agree that implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative requires the joint forces of social sectors and NGOs, as well as government and official organs.

Joint government-society-enterprises have become an effective political structure in today's global governance system. The SRCIC will spare no efforts to take the lead in building bridges with governments, national chambers and federations, and enterprises to help members cooperate on the Belt and Road Initiative, the declaration said.

During the summit, representatives also signed a series of framework agreements such as the e-Silk Road, the Silk Road International Development Fund, and the Silk Road International Commodity Exchanges, to boost pragmatic cooperation and sustainable development among "Belt and Road" countries.

Proposed in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative -- the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road -- works for improved cooperation between China and countries in vast parts of Asia, Europe and Africa.