Forum addresses development of Belt & Road Initiative in time of COVID-19

Officials and experts shared insights on developing the Belt and Road Initiative and global governance at the fourth International Forum on the Belt and Road Initiative & Global Governance organized by Fudan University.

Jiao Yang, Party secretary of Fudan, said the initiative showed great vitality and persistence despite challenges brought about by the pandemic. She said in the past year the university's Institute of Belt and Road & Global Governance has deepened cooperation in Belt & Road (B&R) regions in terms of research on pandemic-related issues, such as public health and talent cultivation.

"B&R countries should enhance cooperation in public health care," she said. "We should give full play to strength of the network to control the virus and integrate research on medical services with B&R studies to build up a health community with a shared future."

Guo Yezhou, vice minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, said the B&R Initiative has become an important part of China's economic and social development and a bridge to connect domestic and international economic circulations.

"Promoting high-quality B&R development is an important part of China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) and 2035 vision," he said. "We should look for new opportunities and explore new approaches for implementing the initiative."