Ambassador Fu Cong said that at the seminar on the 10th anniversary of the "the Belt and Road"
On September 19, 2023, Ambassador Fu Cong, head of the mission to the European Union, delivered a keynote speech at the 10th anniversary seminar of the "the Belt and Road" hosted by "EU Dynamics", and participated in the whole process of exchange and question answering. The transcript is as follows:
EU developments: Ambassador Fu, the "the Belt and Road" initiative is facing some questioning voices. How do you respond to these criticisms in the context of the EU's promotion of strategic autonomy?
Fu Cong: Whether the "the Belt and Road" initiative is good or not, we need to listen to the opinions of the participating countries more, which is just fair. We have noticed that many critical voices originate from Western media and sometimes from Western governments as well. However, in any case, we will continue to promote the joint construction of the "the Belt and Road", because we are more concerned about the response of participating countries, especially countries in the global South.
In my keynote speech, I mentioned some flagship projects in Europe, such as ports in Greece, railways in Serbia, and bridges in Croatia. In these countries, the "the Belt and Road" initiative has received positive responses. As for other countries, we are also willing to cooperate. In fact, we are glad to see that the "the Belt and Road" initiative has led Western countries to put forward some initiatives, such as the EU's "Global Gateway" strategy and the recently proposed "India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor".
Although some Western politicians said that these initiatives were intended to balance or hedge the "the Belt and Road Initiative", we still view them from a positive perspective. China believes that the relationship between these initiatives and the "the Belt and Road" is not checks and balances, but complements each other. Countries around the world, especially those in the South, need more infrastructure investment, and China alone cannot meet all the needs. China welcomes all initiatives and believes that there is no reason for mutual checks and balances among all parties. It is willing to cooperate with all parties. In fact, some collaborative projects have already been carried out in Africa. When I met with the EU Special Representative for Central Asian Affairs, she was very interested in carrying out joint projects in Central Asian countries.
As the "the Belt and Road" initiative enters its second decade, everyone's views on it will certainly be further improved. We don't care about criticism from some Western media because facts speak louder than words. We need to focus on what we are doing and show the world the true meaning of the "the Belt and Road" initiative through facts.
EU update: Just now we talked about the "India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor". Mr. Ambassador, what advantages do you think the "the Belt and Road" initiative has in comparison? How do you view the relationship between the two?
Fu Cong: At present, we know very little about the "India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor" and need more information, so I don't want to compare it with the fruitful "the Belt and Road".
According to some media reports, some American scholars and officials claim that these initiatives are aimed at countering China. What I want to say is that if these initiatives are purely aimed at promoting development, China will not view them from a perspective of checks and balances. Regardless of the initiative, if its true purpose is to promote regional development, China will not have any objections.
Someone just mentioned the dispute over development models. In China's view, if all parties discuss which development model is more green, there will be no competition between them, only cooperation. On this point, there is no difference between the "the Belt and Road" initiative and the "Global Gateway" strategy. In the next decade, the development of the "the Belt and Road" will also keep pace with the times. As I mentioned in my speech just now, green is the background of the the Belt and Road Initiative. Green development and digital cooperation are increasingly becoming the focus of China's attention.
We should take note of several basic facts of the "the Belt and Road" initiative. Over the past decade, the "the Belt and Road" initiative has accumulated many good experiences, some of which can be used for reference by the "Global Gateway" strategy or the "India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor". Firstly, collaborative projects must be driven by the host country. Projects are usually proposed by the host country, with China participating and providing support and assistance. China has never imposed projects on other countries. This is the first experiential approach we want to share with all parties.
The second is to adhere to joint consultation, construction, and sharing. This is the basic principle of jointly building the "the Belt and Road". Regarding "consultation", it is very important for the Chinese side to plan and design together with the host country in the early planning stage of the project. These projects were not initiated by the Chinese side and then sold to the host country. During the project construction process, there were also many collaborations between the two parties, including hiring local employees to create a large number of job opportunities for the local area. This is what we call "co construction".
More importantly, "sharing". China views the "the Belt and Road" cooperation from an economic perspective. It is undeniable that China's soft power has been enhanced in the process of cooperation. If China's actions are beneficial to the host country, it will naturally be welcomed and recognized by the other party. However, the original intention of the "the Belt and Road" is not to enhance soft power, but to cooperate with all parties on an equal basis, which is particularly important for Western countries. We must interact with countries in a cooperative manner on an equal basis to ensure that all parties benefit equally. China never considers itself a savior. Chinese companies have their own goals and interests when carrying out projects abroad, but at the same time, they also bring benefits to the local people. China has always dealt with the host country's government, people, and all sectors of society on an equal basis. Therefore, if you ask me what suggestions I have for the "Global Gateway" strategy or the "India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor", I would like to say that if they can treat the countries of the South equally like the "the Belt and Road", they will also do well.
Fu Cong: China will hold the third "the Belt and Road" International Cooperation Summit Forum in mid October to summarize the achievements of the "the Belt and Road" construction in the past decade and plan the future development blueprint. China will unswervingly continue to promote the joint construction of the "the Belt and Road" and work with countries around the world to promote green transformation and digital transformation.
Green has become the background of the "the Belt and Road". The Chinese side attaches greater importance to renewable energy and other projects in investment direction, and also emphasizes adopting more green and environmentally friendly methods in project construction. The "small and beautiful" project is also a major feature of the "the Belt and Road" cooperation. Just now someone mentioned the Global Development Initiative, which is jointly promoted with the "the Belt and Road" to help other developing countries achieve the UN's sustainable development goals. We believe that carrying out "small and beautiful" projects can help improve the living standards of the people, and is the most direct and effective way to help alleviate poverty and achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It is also one of the possible key directions for our next work.
I also want to emphasize that the "the Belt and Road" is not China's "solo". We invited representatives of all countries to attend the forum in Beijing, hoping to listen to the opinions and suggestions of all parties, because the "the Belt and Road" is our common cause. Representatives of all countries will work together to determine the future development direction of the "the Belt and Road".
Ambassador Fu Cong took the initiative to respond to the argument of "world fragmentation": today's world is indeed becoming increasingly fragmented. But we must remember that the fragmentation of the world is not a natural trend, but entirely depends on our choices. The "the Belt and Road" is committed to promoting globalization, and cooperation with other countries to promote common development has become a part of globalization.
It is suggested that Western politicians should not think that the "the Belt and Road" initiative is intended to weaken the West, let alone use it as an excuse to further divide the world. This is by no means the right way to look at the "the Belt and Road". No matter the initiatives of Europe or the United States, no matter the "Global Gateway" or other initiatives, do not use it as a tool against the "the Belt and Road". At least China does not view these initiatives in this way, but believes that they are complementary to the the Belt and Road Initiative. This is our attitude, and I think it's important. If we view it as geopolitical competition, our response will go beyond the economic scope. This is very dangerous and will not be welcomed by countries around the world, especially those in the South. The world does not need more ideological differences or geopolitical divisions, but requires joint efforts from all countries to promote development in every corner of the world.
Just now someone mentioned high-level contacts between China and the United States. I would like to emphasize that the tense relationship between China and the United States needs to be eased rather than intensified, and a more relaxed international environment is beneficial for all parties.
EU update: Ambassador, I believe you have fully expressed your personal views. Is there anything else you would like to share with everyone before the seminar ends?
Fu Cong: Finally, I would like to call on European countries to work together with China to promote the interests of southern countries and the world. Our initiatives are complementary and there is no need to compete with each other. At the same time, from a broader perspective, globalization remains beneficial for all countries. We do not accept the notion that the world is destined to fall apart. In a heavyweight article published in Foreign Affairs, the President of the International Monetary Fund pointed out that if the world were to further divide, global GDP would decline by several percentage points, and the entire world would become a loser. Economic cooperation should not be mixed with geopolitical factors, and I believe this common sense will eventually prevail.
Thank you all.
