BREIP cooperation makes steady progress in 2024

BEIJING, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Belt and Road Economic Information Partnership (BREIP), as a multilateral economic information cooperation framework, achieved steady progress in 2024 in attracting more members, coordinating resources for regional collaboration, and supporting the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Initiated by Xinhua News Agency, BREIP was founded in June 2019 to establish a comprehensive communication system for economic information sharing, in a bid to eliminate information asymmetry, provide demonstration, guidance, and services for all parties involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. It supports policy communication, infrastructure connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and people-to-people exchanges, while attracting more countries and regions to join the Belt and Road and creating a new platform for international cooperation. BREIP was subsequently included in the achievements list of the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

China Economic Information Service(CEIS), a subsidiary for the economic information services of Xinhua News Agency, undertakes the operation of BREIP and has been making constant effort in expanding the BREIP network.  As of 2024, BREIP has boasted 70 members across 43 countries and regions, including internationally renowned news agencies, information service organizations, research institutions, and business associations.

In the year of 2024, a total of 11 new members joined BREIP, including prominent institutions like Lide China in Brazil, ATV Zrt. in Hungary, Sino-Thai Communications Group in Thailand, Aegean Times International Media Co I.K.E. in Greece, Africa Policy Institute in Kenya, Agencia Peruana de Noticias Andina in Peru, Latin American News Agency in Cuba, El Mundo Financiero in Spain, and Phoenix 24-International review in Kazakhstan, marking a notable expansion.

-- Coordinating and mobilizing resources for regional collaboration

As the membership continues to grow, in order to better coordinate and mobilize resources across the region and promote regional collaboration, BRIEP has established three regional liaison offices.

Following the establishment of its first regional liaison office in Shanghai in September 2023, BREIP set its Eastern Europe liaison offices at in Hungry in May, 2024. It is expected to facilitate information sharing among BREIP members in Eastern Europe and promote regional development and cooperation.

In addition, the Latin America liaison office was set up in Peru in November, 2024,  which will help deepen exchanges and cooperation in trade, information technology, and green development between China and Latin American countries.

Fu Hua, Executive Chairman of the BREIP Presidium and President of Xinhua News Agency, and Tamas Kovacs, CEO of ATV Media Group, jointly inaugurate the Eastern European liaison office of the BREIP in Budapest, Hungary on May 2, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

In the future, more regional liaison offices are expected to be established to activate BREIP cooperation and enhance regional information exchange and collaboration.

-- Supporting high-quality Belt and Road development with economic information exchange

The photo shows the CEIS delegation conducting in-depth discussions with Delovoy Kazakhstan.

In March, 2024, a delegation of CEIS visited BREIP members in Russia and Kazakhstan, including Tass Russian News Agency, Delovoy Kazakhstan, and Television and Radio Complex of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. They had in-depth discussions on strengthening economic information exchange and promoting industrial cooperation.

The photo shows the Thematic Forum on China-Peru Belt and Road Pragmatic Cooperation held in Lima, Peru in November, 2024.

CEIS has been working with BREIP members to host overseas events, which serve as platforms for international exchange and drive economic and trade cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.

CEIS, in collaboration with ATV Zrt., hosted the Thematic Forum on China-Hungary Belt and Road Pragmatic Cooperation in Budapest in early May in 2024. Themed on "Guiding China-Central and Eastern Europe Cooperation and Sharing Development Opportunities", the event highlighted the significance and connotations of BRI and also achievements of China-Hungry Belt and Road cooperation, reaching audiences in Hungary and the Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) at large.

Moreover, CEIS and Agencia Peruana de Noticias Andina co-hosted the Thematic Forum on China-Peru Belt and Road Pragmatic Cooperation in early November in 2024. Over 150 participants from media, think tanks, and enterprises representing both China and Peru attended the event. It successfully showcased the achievements and highlights of Belt and Road cooperation between China and Peru, as well as between China and Latin America, and was met with a warm response from all sectors of Peruvian society.

In September, 2024, representatives of BREIP members were invited to attend the 18th Yulin International Coal and High-end Energy Chemical Industry Expo kicked off on September 13 in Yulin City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. During the expo, they visited the exhibition hall and attended the 2024 exchange event on international dual carbon industry innovation held simultaneously, learning about China's latest innovation in clean energy technologies and demonstrative practices in sustainable development.

Photo shows foreign media representatives visiting the 18th Yulin International Coal and High-end Energy Chemical Industry Expo in Yulin City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 13, 2024.

In addition, In early December, reprentatives of BREIP members were invited to attend the 2024 Pearl Bay International Climate Investment and Financing Conference held in Guangzhou City, to share insights on investment and financing cooperation in the dual carbon sector.

-- Deepening collaboration through information sharing and cultural exchange at a wider scope

CEIS has prioritized effective communication in its collaboration with BREIP members in 2024. China's wisdom and China's solutions are shared in the form of information and cultural exchange and, allowing BREIP members to benefit from dividends of China's development.

On the one hand, CEIS has established regular information exchange mechanisms online with BREIP members, including El Mundo Financiero, Delovoy Kazakhstan, Sino-Thai Communications Group, TTG Poland, and Chinese Times (Laos). It also launched the Greek version of Xinhua Silk Road in collaboration with Aegean Times International Media Co I.K.E in June.

On the other hand, CEIS organized a BREIP trip to Shaanxi province in northwest China, taking representatives from BREIP members in Asia, Europe, and Latin America to experience distinctive local cultures. They visited the Northern Shaanxi Folk Song Museum, where they listened to folk songs of Shaanxi. Through music, culture can be passed down from generation to generation, said Serik Korzhumbayev, editor-in-chief of Delovoy Kazakhstan, adding that he was impressed by the spirit of people in northern Shaanxi and the regional culture through the singers' voice and beautiful melody.

They also went to the Yuyang District Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition Hall, and the Shenmu Shimao Museum, immersing themselves in the cultural heritage of Shaanxi.

Looking ahead, BREIP is expected to attract more friends with the common pursuit of mutual learning and embrace more pragmatic coopertion under the Belt and Road Initiative.

(Edited by Yang Linlin with Xinhua Silk Road, linlinyanglyn@163.com)

Chronicle of Key Events of BREIP