(May 15, 2017)

Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic ofChina

Dear Colleagues,

As we have concluded our discussion at the last session, the Leaders Roundtable of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation is coming to a close.

A shared commitment to friendship, cooperation and development has brought us together to this Forum in Beijing. In a warm, friendly and cordial atmosphere, we have had lively discussions on all agenda items. We shared policy practices and cooperation experience, envisioned the future, and put forward many good ideas and proposals.

Onedaymayhavebeenabittightforsuchafullagenda. But we have kept our discussions focused and pragmatic, and made them deep, broad and productive. In specific terms, I would say we reached broad consensus in the following aspects:

First, we  stand ready to promote international cooperationon the Belt and Road development and jointly tackle challenges facing the global economy. Positive comments were made on the progress of Belt and Road cooperation. It was agreed that, in the current global economic situation, the Belt and Road development  is of high importance for fostering new drivers of growth, boosting internal drivers of growth and bolstering global growth, and will help make globalization more inclusive and beneficial for all. We will continue to work for greater progress in the Belt and Road Initiative to enhance policy, infrastructure, trade, financial and people-to-people connectivity.

Second, we support closer economic policy coordination and stronger synergy of our development strategies in an effort to achieve coordinated and interconnected development. There is a high degree  of  consensus on this point around the table. We  all hope  to form synergy among our policies and development programs through the Belt and Road cooperation. We agreed to increase macro policy coordination in the fields of economy, finance, trade and investment, and jointly foster    a favorable external environment for development. We all back an open world economy, FTA building, and trade and investment liberalization andfacilitation.

We hope to effectively synergize our national development strategies and the cooperation programs formulated by regional and international organizations to draw on each other’s strengths and move forward side by side.

We all put a premium on innovation-driven development, and support closer cooperation in the frontier areas of cross-border e-commerce, big data, smart cities and low- carbon development to cultivate new industries, new forms and models of business, and tap new drivers of growth.

Third,wehopetotranslateconsensusintoaction and achieve fresh outcomes in practical cooperation. We all believe that connectivity helps remove the bottlenecks hampering development, and hence is crucial for enhancing development momentum and improving the people’s well-being. International cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative should continue to take connectivity as   a priority and be driven by major projects and programs. We need to advance cooperation in such areas as roads, railways, ports, aviation, oil and gas pipelines, electric power and telecommunications to build interconnected infrastructure networks.

We decided to vigorously pursue the building of economic corridors, economic cooperation zones and industrial parks, and advance cooperation in industrial capacity and equipment manufacturing to promote better and faster growth of the real economy. We all value investment and financing cooperation, support further mutual opening of financial markets and a greater roleby  development finance institutions, and endeavor to establish a solid financial safety net that is sustainable and risk-resilient.

Fourth, we hope to build bridges of people-to- people exchanges and deliver better lives to all our people. We regard the exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations along the ancient Silk Road as a valuable legacy, and believe that connecting the  hearts of the people should be an integral part of Belt and Road international cooperation. We are ready to explore extensive people-to-people exchanges at all levels covering education, science, technology, culture, health, tourism and sports, and build more cooperation platforms and channels. We will actively create conditions to involve all communities and groups in this cooperation and make cultural exchanges diverse, interactive and broad-based. Responding to the people’s expectations, we will enhance cooperation on environmental protection, climate change and the fight against corruption. We will also push forward visa facilitation to make people’s travel easier and more enjoyable.

Fifth, we believe that the Belt and road initiative presents an open and inclusive platform for development in which all countries can participate, contribute and benefit as equals. In the spirit of inclusiveness, we will discuss and decide together on the basis of mutual respect and in keeping with the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. We will cooperate  in an environment of ever-greater openness and seek mutually beneficial results through cooperation. The role of this Forumhasreceivedfullrecognition,andIwishtoannounce here that China will host the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in 2019.

This Forum has also served as a platform for practical cooperation among the various parties. In the past couple of days, a host of cooperation agreements were signed, projects clinched and cooperation measures proposed. All these are reflected in a list of deliverables that will be released after the closing of the Forum. I believe these outcomes will lay a solid foundation for Belt and Road cooperation.

Dear Colleagues,

People’s pursuit of a better life has helped move history forward. Over 2,000 years ago, it was such a quest and an indomitable spirit that inspired our ancestors to open up the Silk Road linking Asia and Europe, contributingsignificantly to the advance of human civilization.

Today, the Belt and Road development is bringing together the peoples of  all countries along the routes in   a joint endeavor for common development and shared benefits through mutually beneficial cooperation. This is also what China’s proposal for building a community of shared future for mankind aims to achieve. As we work together to advance international cooperation on Belt and Road development, the ancient Silk Road will take on renewed dynamism. At this new starting point, we need to live up to our historical responsibility, be enterprising and take solid steps to make new progress in Belt and Road cooperation, and inject strong impetus into the building of  a community of shared future for mankind.

Before I conclude, I wish to once again express my appreciation to all of you. Thank you for your trust in me and the Chinese government, and for your strong support for the Chinese side as we prepared for and hosted the Forum.

Now, I declare the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation closed!