Belt and Road Initiative highlights at UNIDO forum

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization will participate in and jointly host a number of high-end Belt and Road forums in China this year, the organization said yesterday during a forum in Shanghai.

These forums will be held at the China International Fair for Investment and Trade in Xiamen, Fujian Province, in September and the China International Import Expo in Shanghai in November, the organization announced during the UNIDO Day 2018 and Belt and Road Cross-border Cooperation Forum.

The theme of the day was the contribution of the Belt and Road Initiative to accelerating and deepening South-South Cooperation and its influence on science and technology cooperation among developing countries, thus promoting global industrial sustainable development, said Li Yong, director general of UNIDO.

During the forum, government officials, experts and company representatives shared their insights into smart cities, intelligent manufacturing, recyclable economies and cross-border investment.

Shang Yuying, director of the Shanghai Commerce Commission, said the city will accelerate the construction of an international trade center and cultivate new advantages in foreign trade competition.

Zhang Shangwu, deputy dean of the college for architecture and urban planning of Tongji University, discussed the future direction of Shanghai’s intelligent manufacturing and urban sustainable development.

The UNIDO also hosted an exhibition about its UNIDO Shanghai Investment Promotion Center.