context: The Third BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) International Cooperation Forum concluded on 18 Oct 2023. 151 countries and 41 international organisations participated, according to Beijing. The achievements and deliverables of the forum aligned with what was previously previewed by officials and experts, including connectivity, green development, digital trade and anti-corruption. With intensifying geopolitical friction in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, Beijing will be keen to leverage the BRI, its global cooperation arm with reach in both regions, to expand its clout and voice.
Achievements of the Third BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) International Cooperation Forum, according to Xinhua and MFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) include
- trade connectivity
- signed 106 documents
- launched 'Beijing Initiative on Deepening Interconnection and Connectivity Cooperation'
- memoranda of understanding, protocols and agreements
- established nine cooperation platforms and mechanisms in
- e-commerce, taxation and China-Europe freight trains
- engaged 30 major economic and trade project collaborations and 40 collaborations under the 'Small and Beautiful Initiative'
- proposed eight initiatives and institutional arrangements in
- green trade, digital development and customs mutual recognition
- published eight research reports and white papers
- signed 106 documents
- green development
- launched 'Beijing Initiative on BRI Green Development'
- subnational cooperation
- signed 15 cooperation agreements in
- sister city relations, cultural exchanges and economic and trade cooperation
- launched 1,000 small-scale livelihood assistance programs
- signed 15 cooperation agreements in
- people-to-people connectivity
- released the 'Silk Road Connected by Heart' joint initiative and a list of 120 forum achievements
- ocean cooperation
- released the 'BRI Blue Cooperation Achievements List'
- covering 25 cooperation items
- released the 'BRI Blue Cooperation Achievements List'
- enterprises
- US$ 97.2 bn worth of commercial contracts were signed at the BRI CEO conference
- integrity building
- released
- 'Effectiveness and Prospects of Integrity Building for BRI'
- 'Advanced Principles of Integrity Building for BRI'
- 'Corporate Integrity and Compliance Evaluation System for BRI'
- released
- digital trade and tech
- launched the PRC's initiative on global artificial intelligence governance
- launched 'Beijing Initiative on International Cooperation on Digital Economy in BRI'
- signed an FTA (free trade agreement) with Serbia