More and more leaders of foreign countries and international organizations have recognized China's pivotal role in promoting common progress of the world through its global initiatives, according to a collection of interviews aired by China Media Group (CMG) on Friday to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
Over the past decade since China presented the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), more than 150 countries and over 30 international organizations have signed over 200 Belt and Road cooperation documents with China. The Belt and Road has become the world's largest international cooperation platform that covers the widest range of cooperation. It has brought tangible benefits to the people of BRI partner countries and is widely welcomed by the international community.
"The region needs infrastructure, then infrastructure needs financing. China is capable of doing that or building infrastructure. It can also help to provide the financing. It can also develop the trade and economic links with the countries in the region. And with the Belt and Road Initiative, there's a framework within it, which this can be done," said then Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in an interview with the CMG on March 17, 2023.
"One of the targets for our development was to transform Azerbaijan into one of the regional centers for connectivity. But the lack of transportation infrastructure actually created a situation that our geography was not used. For that, we are actively working also with our Chinese partners and our neighbors to establish this infrastructure connectivity, and also administrative connectivity," said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in an interview in 2023.
Implementing the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese companies have been helping Angola develop hydropower stations, drought relief projects and water supply facilities, and harness water resources to grow the economy and raise the people's living standards.
"In recent years, Angola has been constructing large-scale hydropower projects. As a result, our power generation capacity exceeds our current needs, and we are already able to export electricity," said Angolan President Joao Lourenco in an interview on March 17.
"Within this framework (of the Belt and Road Initiative), we proposed constructing a highway to link the Indian Ocean with the Atlantic. Starting from Mombasa, Kenya, this road would cross the border between Uganda and Rwanda to reach the Congo River. It's not just an idea, but a project in progress," said President of the Republic of Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso in an interview on Feb. 23.
As a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, China consistently upholds the U.N.-centered international system and defends the legitimate rights of developing nations. Faced with global conflicts and slow economic growth, China proposed the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative respectively in 2021, 2022 and 2023 to offer constructive solutions and foster dialogue and cooperation among civilizations.
"In general, of course, Kazakhstan supports the initiatives put forward by President Xi Jinping. I have no doubts about the positive impacts on developing the world, which must be free of discrimination, of sanctions, of pressure. So the world must be full of good spirit, friendship and cooperation," said President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in an interview released on May 12, 2023.
"The difficulty we face today is that tension -- often military tension, which is spreading in many countries -- prevents the world from contemplating the future calmly and with confidence. China is right in proposing new ideas and initiatives, for that, we need to ease the situation of the world. We need a Europe at peace. We need an African continent at peace. We need countries that can focus more on cooperation than tensions," said former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin in an interview aired on May 17.
Increasing number of foreign leaders recognize China initiatives for common progress
