9 Asian countries see benefits in BRI

Islamabad : Representatives of nine Asian countries here on Tuesday at a webinar termed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) beneficial for the member states and also appreciated China’s vaccine humanitarianism in the context of coronavirus pandemic.

Pakistan-China Institute (PCI) hosted an extraordinary 9-Nation Conference on Regional Economic connectivity themed on Belt and Road Cooperation: Promoting People-to-People Bond.

The webinar was attended by the representatives from Friends of Silk Road organizations of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand plus representatives of think-tanks from Indonesia, Philippines and China.

Saying the Asian Century needed BRI to progress, the speakers representing various walks of life called for strengthening multilateral cooperation and the BRI, as it represented shared interests of Asian countries.

They also put forth suggestions for high quality development of BRI through exchanges and consultations.

The member countries agreed to institutionalize their interaction, counter disinformation and fake news, rejecting any notion of a ‘New Cold War’.

Mustafa Hyder Sayed, Executive Director of PCI said, Friends of Silk Road Pakistan since its launch in 2019, had provided both a better understanding and information about benefits and numerous opportunities arising out of the BRI through CPEC.

He said the BRI had provided an alternate development model to developing countries for promoting human development, which, before BRI, were dependent on the West and its institutions.

He also termed BRI a consensus oriented initiative based on people-centered development.

Moreover, he lauded Communist Party of China for passing an historic resolution during its 6th plenum last month which provided a clear vision for the future.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman Senate Defence Committee and Pakistan-China Institute said that BRI, through CPEC benefited the people.

He said that BRI was not directed against any country and termed it as a win-win model of cooperation, since it is inclusive and aims to promote connectivity.

The year 2021, he remarked, was an important year in the history of Communist Party of China since it marked the centenary of CPC and the year when China eliminated absolute poverty.

Professor Wang Yiwei, Director of Institute of International Affairs, Renmin University of China, said that the post-pandemic era was all about adaptation to the New Normal.

He said that in these challenging times, multilateralism was the only way forward, and BRI can be taken as a blueprint to advance multilateralism.

He also welcomed China’s Zero Coal policy, which, he maintained, will help in fighting the looming threat of Climate Change.

Kalyan Raj Sharma, General Secretary of Nepal Friends of Silk Road Club said that China-Nepal economic relations had been further cemented since the start of BRI and the economic & social development trajectory of Nepal now depends on BRI.

He said that the impetus to advance this relationship with China came after India blockaded Nepal in 2015-16. Dilip Barua, Chairman of Bangladesh China Silk Road Forum called for jointly countering the anti-BRI propaganda which emanated from India and Western countries.

He termed BRI as an economic masterstroke of President Xi Jinping, which improved infrastructure in Asia.

Moreover, he said there was a positive perception of BRI in Bangladesh, since it has started reaping the benefits of this initiative.

Dararat Puechmongkol, Assistant Secretary General of Thai-Chinese Culture and Economy Association said that Thailand had been increasingly cementing its relationship with China especially in the context of BRI, accruing benefits for its people.

Professor Dai Yonghong, Director of Institute of Global Governance and Area Studies, Shenzhen University said that the international environment called for advancing green development, adapting green business practices, and promoting human development.

The unipolar world that the United States was trying to maintain was disappearing and a multipolar world was emerging.

In this multipolar world, BRI would play a significant role in human development.

Prof Gayathri De Zoysa, senior researcher, Pathfinder Foundation, Sri Lanka, said Sri Lanka was one of the most important BRI partner countries and Chinese Foreign Direct Investment had increased significantly since the inception of BRI.

Dr GP Doraisamy, a leader of Malaysia-China Friendship Association said that Malaysia enjoyed a close relationship with China. He urged shedding of the colonial mentality.

Ananda Prasad Pokharel, Political Bureau Member of Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) talked about the Trans-Himalayan Multi-dimensional Connectivity Network, an economic corridor between Nepal and China as part of BRI, which was an historic opportunity to overhaul Nepal’s infrastructure.

Despite international pressure, Nepal had continued its commitment to high quality development of BRI projects in the country since both countries signed MoUs in 2017. Prof. K D N Weearasinghe, Convener, Asia Progress Forum, Colombo said that BRI had led to the economic revitalization of partner countries.