Interview: Expert describes BRI as driving force for globalization

This aerial photo taken on May 12, 2023 shows a freight train running near Almaty in Kazakhstan. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua)

The Belt and Road Initiative is a path to global well-being, peace, prosperity, openness, innovation and social progress, said Chheang Vannarith, president of the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute.

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been a driving force for globalization and forging a new world economic order, an expert has said.

"The BRI remains committed to global connectivity and multilateralism in an era marked by de-globalization," Chheang Vannarith, president of the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

In a world beset by turbulence, complexity, uncertainty and fragmentation, the BRI emerges as a beacon of hope, offering a vision for a brighter, more inclusive and cooperative future, Vannarith said.

"Over the past decade, the BRI has yielded remarkable results, opening new avenues for global economic growth and improving people's lives worldwide," he said.

The expert said collaboration within the BRI framework has ushered in significant transformation globally, marking an important milestone in the annals of human history.

Specifically, the BRI has supported trade and investment liberalization, eliminating barriers and enhancing global trade efficiency, he said.

In line with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the BRI has promoted coordinated economic, social and eco-environmental development, Vannarith noted.

"It promotes all-round connectivity in various fields, facilitating policy coordination, infrastructure development, unimpeded trade, financial integration and people-to-people ties," the expert said.

"The BRI is not solely about China's development but a solution for global development issues," he said.

The initiative is a path to global well-being, peace, prosperity, openness, innovation and social progress, Vannarith noted.

It offers a practical means to build a fairer and more equitable governance system en route towards a community with a shared future for mankind, he added.

"It champions win-win cooperation and encourages economic integration, interconnected development, and the equitable sharing of achievements," he said. "It is an open, green and clean initiative, ensuring that progress is both steady and high-quality."

This aerial photo taken on Nov. 23, 2022 shows a Fuxing bullet train running on the Yuanjiang bridge of the China-Laos Railway in southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)

He added that building synergies between the BRI and other regional initiatives, such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), would be essential.

"The BRI advocates exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, rejecting divisive concepts like the 'clash of civilizations.' It promotes dialogue, inclusiveness and shared values, uniting cultures and hearts across borders," Vannarith said.

He said it represents a vast and enduring global project for the 21st century, marked by its long-term, cross-border and systematic nature.

"Building upon the achievement over the past decade, the BRI will showcase increased innovation and dynamism, fostering greater openness and inclusivity, thereby creating new opportunities for all," Vannarith said.