The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation started today in Beijing, China. President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev is also attending the event.
Uzbekistan was among the first countries to support and participate in the building of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Named after the historic Silk Road, the Belt and Road Initiative was proposed by Xi Jinping in 2013 to chart out new territories for international cooperation. Chinese President Xi Jinping at the opening address on Sunday said the Belt and Road Initiative is "a project of the century" that will benefit people across the world.
"Spanning thousands of miles and years, the ancient silk routes embody the spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit. The Silk Road spirit has become a great heritage of human civilization," Xi Jinping told an audience of more than 1,500 from across the globe.
A total of 29 foreign heads of state and government leaders attended the forum including officials, entrepreneurs, financiers and journalists from over 130 countries, and representatives of key international organizations, such as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, and Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde.
By all means, the forum, which also features a round-table summit of global leaders on Monday, is one of the premium gatherings in today's world.
The Belt and Road Initiative is essentially a new inclusive platform on which countries in Eurasia and beyond can strengthen economic and cultural cooperation to achieve common prosperity.
