Shanghai has played a unique role in the Belt and Road Initiative by making a total of $30 billion investments in countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative over the past decade, according to official sources. During the same period, Shanghai inked more than $70 billion worth of project contracts and reached over $1 trillion in trade value, said Gong Zheng, mayor of Shanghai during the second Conference of the Belt and Road Economic Information Partnership and 2023 Shanghai Entrepreneurs Conference for the Belt and Road High-quality Development on Wednesday in Shanghai. "This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. By targeting high standards, sustainability and people's livelihood as the goal, Shanghai will take this opportunity to consolidate the communications and cooperations, better coordinate development and security, steadily expand high-level opening-up, strengthen high-level service as a support, continue to expand high efficiency project cooperation, and promote the high-quality development of the initiative," Gong said. Themed as "Extensive Consultation, Joint Contribution and Shared Prosperity, Embark on a New Journey", the event is hosted jointly by the Xinhua News Agency and the Shanghai Municipal People's Government. Source: China Daily

The Belt and Road Initiative, which President Xi Jinping proposed in 2013 in Astana, Kazakhstan, is of historical importance and goes far beyond its core infrastructure goals. Under the BRI framework, investment has reached nearly $1 trillion and involves 152 nations. The BRI is a truly remarkable project in scale. It not only aims to connect a wide range of countries to China economically, but also seeks to boost these countries' GDPs and achieve sustainable development with China's help. The advent of the BRI should be understood in the context of China's economic miracle, which began in 1978 with reform and opening-up proposed by then-leader Deng Xiaoping. Since the last third of the 20th century, China has been one of the largest contributors to global development. According to the World Bank, "Since China began to open up and reform its economy in 1978, GDP growth has averaged almost 10 percent per year during three decades, and more than 800 million people have been lifted out of poverty." Furthermore, between 2008 and 2021, "as the world's per capita GDP grew by 30 percent and China's by 263 percent, China accounted for more than 40 percent of global per capita GDP growth", the World Bank said. "Without China, global GDP would have grown not by 51 percent but by 33 percent". China's economic success both lends credibility to its economic model and allows it to make substantial investments globally. Many developing countries, particularly those that often struggle to obtain financing from the international financial system and Western countries, are now sharing in China's growth through its Belt and Road infrastructure investments. China's Central Asian neighbor Kazakhstan provides an excellent case study for the initiative's results to date. In 2023, Kazakhstan endorsed the four principles of mutual assistance, common economic development, universal security and everlasting friendship, and this reflects the fundamental basis of mutual cooperation in the China-Kazakhstan relationship. Kazakhstan is essential to the initiative's goal of developing trade routes with Europe through Central Asia. Kazakhstan's importance to China stems from its geostrategic position, its abundant energy resources and its role as a regional political and security partner. With the world's 12th-largest oil reserves and an abundance of mineral resources, Kazakhstan presents an important opportunity for China to secure and diversify its sources of energy and other natural resources. China is also of critical geopolitical importance to Kazakhstan. China is one of Kazakhstan's largest trading partners, and the two countries shared bilateral trade volume of $24 billion in 2022, according to the National Statistical Office of Kazakhstan. At the China-Central Asia Summit in May, Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that his government hopes to increase the volume of trade with China to $40 billion annually by 2030. Meanwhile, in 2021, China proposed the Global Development Initiative, which encompasses education, health, information technology and green energy as development drivers. The GDI has provided a window of opportunity for China and Kazakhstan to work together on projects of high utility to the people of Kazakhstan. For example, supporting Kazakhstan's growth in solar energy would be an optimal investment, given that China leads the industry. The Global Development Initiative emphasizes sustainable development in developing countries by focusing on humanitarian values such as education, clean and renewable energy, and the alleviation of poverty. Moreover, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently stressed the importance of cooperation with international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. To help people in Kazakhstan better understand the Belt and Road Initiative, China may enhance the promotion of cultural and academic exchanges, youth and student exchanges and media cooperation. Chinese investment in hospitals, educational institutions, renewable energy facilities and frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence and essential information technology infrastructure, will improve the well-being of the Kazakh people. The solution to the question of how China and Kazakhstan can build long-term, sustainable and mutually beneficial economic relationships may be found in the four principles for building a China-Central Asia community, which President Xi set forth in May at the China-Central Asia Summit in Xi'an, Shaanxi province: mutual trust, common economic development, peace and security, and everlasting friendship. The author is president of KIMEP University of Kazakhstan and former economic adviser to the president of Kazakhstan. Source: China Daily Global

BEIJING - Representatives from over 130 countries and many international organizations have confirmed their attendance at the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation scheduled for October, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday. Preparations for the forum are on, and China is in communication with partners of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for this forum, Wang told a regular news briefing. The upcoming forum is the highlight of the commemorative events to mark the BRI's 10th anniversary. Source: Xinhua

BEIJING -- China will continue to boost the green development of the Belt and Road, better protect the environment, and bring benefits to the people of all Belt and Road partner countries, Cong Liang, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission, told a press conference Tuesday. Cong made the remarks when a white paper, titled "A Global Community of Shared Future: China's Proposals and Actions," was released by the State Council Information Office on Tuesday at the press conference. Source: Xinhua

NANJING - Fully loaded with packages of wheat from Kazakhstan, a roaring China-Europe freight train enters an international logistics base in Lianyungang, a coastal city in East China's Jiangsu province. Kazakhstan is one of the world's top wheat producers, and has traditionally exported some of its wheat via sea routes. As a landlocked country, it found this option both time-consuming and expensive. However, the establishment of the China-Kazakhstan (Lianyungang) logistics cooperation base has provided it with a more convenient and economical choice. In 2013, China proposed the idea of building an "economic belt along the Silk Road" in Kazakhstan, which, combined with the proposal of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, eventually became the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The logistic cooperation base, launched in 2014, is the first entity project under the BRI. Acting as a dry port in the Horgos-Eastern Gate special economic zone and the Western China-Western Europe international transport corridor, it has become an important platform for products from Central Asian countries to reach seaports. In February 2017, the first batch of wheat produced in Kazakhstan stopped over in Lianyungang and then were sent to Southeast Asia, marking the official implementation of Lianyungang as the only departure port for Kazakhstan's grain transit in China, said Zuo Xuemei, general manager of the Lianyungang China-Kazakhstan International Logistics Co Ltd in an interview with Xinhua. China-Europe freight trains slash the transit time of Kazakh wheat, and they are also cost-effective, said Zuo, adding that over 50,000 tons of wheat from Kazakhstan have been transported from the base so far. The base has also provided some Kazakhs with job opportunities. Zharkyn Magzhan, an international graduate student from a Chinese university, became a translator there last year, and he is fond of his new life. "I have never seen such a big port before, and I have never been close to the sea for such a long time," said Magzhan. At the beginning of this year, he went back to Kazakhstan and saw many Chinese-brand vehicles and newly-added infrastructure with Chinese companies involved in the construction. "My elder brother also works in a Chinese enterprise in our hometown. The BRI not only injects impetus into the cooperation between Central Asian countries and China, but brings more opportunities for young people to work overseas and pursue a better career," said Magzhan. "I believe that projects like China-Kazakhstan (Lianyungang) logistics cooperation base will mushroom in the future and the prospects for cooperation between China and Central Asian countries are rosy," he said. In the past 10 years, more and more clients from Central Asian countries have been seeking opportunities in Lianyungang, said Xiao Faliang, multimodal transport division general manager of Sinotrans Landbridge Transportation Co Ltd, a company engaged in international freight transport. "It used to take over 20 days for goods to travel from Lianyungang to Alma Ata, the largest city in Kazakhstan, but now it takes only a week at the soonest," said Xiao, attributing the shorter time to the improved operating efficiency of China-Europe freight trains, which is also an outcome of the BRI. Because of the new choice provided by the China-Kazakhstan (Lianyungang) logistics cooperation base, Barbican Logistics LLC in Uzbekistan has been the partner of the company Xiao works with for many years. "The logistics cooperation base offers a platform for Uzbekistan, a landlocked Central Asian country, to trade with more countries and regions, as goods can now be transported to Lianyungang first, and then from Lianyungang to Southeast Asian countries," said Mirkhamidov Mirkomil, general director of Barbican Logistics LLC. The China-Kazakhstan (Lianyungang) logistics cooperation base has not only promoted mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Kazakhstan, but provided new opportunities to other inland Belt and Road countries, said Zhang Wei, an expert with the China Academy of Railway Sciences Corporation Limited. The base can also promote the economic opening up of Lianyungang, developing it into a highland of the high-quality development of China-Europe freight trains, she said. Source: China Daily

XI'AN - Braving wind and sun, camel caravans trekked along the ancient Silk Road, taking silk and tea from China to Central Asia and Europe more than 1,000 years ago. Now, clean energy products are delivered to Belt and Road countries via freight trains and flights, turning wind and sunshine into treasure. While green development is becoming a global consensus, more and more Chinese enterprises have become strong forces in building a green Belt and Road. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). At the 2023 Euro-Asia Economic Forum, Nikolay Pomoshchnikov, head of the subregional office for North and Central Asia of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific of the United Nations, said that Central Asia has huge potential for renewable energy including solar energy, wind energy and hydropower and the forum provides a very good opportunity for cooperation with China and these countries. The three-day forum concluded on Sunday in Xi'an, the capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province. Xi'an, also the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, has witnessed green development through trade exchanges between China and BRI partners. In late April this year, the city launched the first China-Europe freight train for the export of new energy vehicles (NEVs). Data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers show that from January to August 2023, China exported 727,000 NEVs, a 1.1-fold year-on-year increase. Last month, a train loaded with photovoltaic (PV) modules left Xi'an for Tashkent, Uzbekistan. These modules will serve a 1-gigawatt PV project in Uzbekistan, which will produce 2.4 billion kWh of clean energy annually, helping cut carbon emissions by up to 2.4 million tons. Li Wenxue, Party chief of the solar technology giant LONGi Green Energy Technology Co Ltd, said that the company has provided one-third of the key equipment for the PV projects in five Central Asian countries, while the number of China-Europe freight trains used for the company's PV module exports has exceeded 100, with destination countries including the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. Adil Ahmed, from Pakistan, has felt the thriving clean energy development in his hometown. Ahmed, an exhibitor attending the economic and trade expo held on the sidelines of the forum in Xi'an, said Pakistan has abundant solar energy resources, which are suitable for developing solar power. "I have installed PV panels on my roof," said the 65-year-old, adding that many of the panels were produced in China. China has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Environment Programme on building a green Belt and Road, established the Belt and Road Energy Partnership with 32 countries, and trained 3,000 people from more than 120 countries under the Green Silk Road Envoys Program. Shi Yubo, head of the China Energy Research Society, said that promoting the high-quality development of Belt and Road energy cooperation and building a greener and more inclusive energy future bring benefits to help cope with global climate change and promote green and low-carbon development among Belt and Road partners. Source: China Daily

On January 16of 2023, 69 deputies from Shaanxi Province were elected to the 14th National People's Congress(NPC) in accordance with the law at the first session of the 14th Shaanxi Provincial People's Congress. Lu Jianzhong, Chairman of the Silk Road Chamber of International Commerce and Chairman of Tang West Market Group, was re-electedas a deputy to the NPC since his last term beginning in January 2018. Before that, Chairman Luwerea member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC)for three terms. Since his election as a deputy to the NPC, Luhas been earnestly performinghis duties. He has made suggestions on hot issues such as the innovative development of cultural industry, encouraging and supporting the private economy, and high-quality construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. He put forward the Proposal on the Enactment of the Law on Promoting the Digital Economy.A total of 24 proposals were suggestedin areas such as giving full play to the private sector to promote the Belt and Road Initiative and the high-quality development of the private economy, whichprovide detailed reference for relevant ministries and commissions onformulatingpolicies and regulations. Some of the suggestions have been incorporated into relevant planning or policy-relateddocuments.

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Türkiye’s southern border at 4:17 a.m. local time (0917 GMT+8) on February 6. The earthquake was the most devastating one in Türkiye since 1999, wreaking havoc on at least 10 provinces. The death toll climbed to 2,316 in Türkiye and 711 in Syria, and the number of injured rose to 13,293 in Türkiye and 1,431 in Syria as of February 6 local time, according to Türkiye's Disaster and Emergency Management Agency and Syrian Ministry of Health. Left: damaged buildings in the Pazarcik district of Kahramanmaras province, Türkiye on February 6. Right: rescue efforts at a collapsed building in Malatya, Türkiye on February 6. (Source: Xinhua News) On February 6, Chinese president Xi Jinping sent messages of condolences to the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. The message reads as follows: “I was distressed to learn of the powerful earthquake which has caused heavy casualties and property losses. On behalf of the Chinese government and people, I would like to express our deep condolences to the victims and the injured, and their families. We are confident that your people will recover from the disaster and rebuild homes in no time under the leadership of your administration.” SRCIC, with its 218 organizational members from 82 countries, has several Turkish members. Upon learning the severe earthquake in Türkiye, SRCIC chairman Mr. Lu Jianzhong and the Secretariat sent condolences to Mr. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye, Mr. Adnan Akfirat, Chairman of the Turkish-Chinese Business Development and Friendship Association, and the Çalık Group. The Chinese government swiftly launched emergency humanitarian assistance mechanism and provided 40 million RMB of emergency assistance to Türkiye at the first batch, including sending out urban rescue teams and medical teams, and providing relief materials. China also coordinated the delivery of relief supplies to Syria and a speedy implementation of ongoing food aid projects. Meanwhile, Chinese people from all walks of life extended a helping hand to Türkiye and Syria. The Red Cross Society of China donated 200,000 US dollars to both countries respectively. Chinese people in the disaster-hit areas are raising donations of tents, blankets and other relief supplies. It is learned that China's Rescue Team of Ramunion, a civilian rescue organization, has arrived at the disaster area this morning to carry out rescue. Political leaders of many countries expressed their sympathy and support to Türkiye after learning the massive casualties caused by the powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake. We hereby call on all SRCIC members and the international community to provide assistance and support within their capacity to the affected people in Türkiye and Syria. Source: Xinhua News

On November 8th, as a prelude to the 2022 World Internet Conference (WIC) Wuzhen Summit, the WIC Member Representative Symposium was held on the venue in ZhejiangProvince. This is the first symposium since the establishment of WIC International Organization, aiming to enhance exchange and cooperation between the organization and its members, and among the membersthemselves. Zhuang Rongwen, chairman of the WIC Organization Committee,attended and addressed the symposium. The eventwasmoderated by WIC Secretary GeneralRen Xianliang. More than 30 member representatives from international organizations, leading global Internet companies, industry authorities and associations listedthe symposium. Lu Jianzhong, chairman of the Board of Directors of Tang West Market Group and chairman of the Silk Road Chamber of International Commerce,discussed with other representatives about the opportunities and challenges brought by the development of global internet and the prospects of WIC. Zhuangpointed out that as a common platform for the global Internet family, the WIC originates in China but belongs to the world. He hoped that members would contribute their suggestions to the Conference, participate initsconstructionand support its development. Members need to build consensus on ideas, focus on new challenges and problems in cyberspace, and align the efforts of international community to resolve differences.Thedeepeningintegration of digital economy and real economy, and coordination of global industrial and supply chainsare the focuses in developing the digital economy. Members shouldboostscientific and technological innovation, strengthen international collaborationand global cooperation, and exchangevisions and applications of Internet-related technology. Members should deepen cultural exchanges, promote cooperation in internet media, and strengthen the construction of internet culture. Members shouldalsofocus on leading global cooperation, pursuingcommon prosperity for all mankind, deepeningcommon interests and promoting mutual benefit in the Internet sector. LuJianzhongbriefed thethree platformsbuilt by Tang West Market Group, namely the Datang Chain, the Hainan International Cultural and Art Trading Center,and the Silk Road Chamber of International Commerce (SRCIC). The platforms are part of the contributing efforts tothedigital cultural industry,the cultural cause,and the construction of Digital China.He suggestedbuildinga multi-chain, cross-chain and internationally-oriented blockchain infrastructure for cultural and art transactions and a cultural digital Silk Road, which can be based on theDatang Chain, a national blockchain anda pilot project of copyright innovativeapplication. The international resources and industrial advantages of SRCICcould also contribute to this cause. The proposal outlines a cultural digital platform for artworks trading and exchange among various countries. The platform integrates functions including ownership validation, authentication, pricing, sequencing and confirming. Together, they resolve the three pain points of the industry - appraisal, valuation and standardization of artworks. This endeavor will boost international cultural and art exchanges and transactions, and enhance mutual learning among civilizations along the Belt and Road. The WIC International Organizationwas established on July 12 this year. It is an international, industrial and non-profit social organization set upvoluntarily by enterprises, organizations, institutions and individuals committed to facilitatingthe global Internetdevelopment. It was registered in China and headquartered in Beijing. Source: World Internet ConferenceWeChat Official Account

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is delighted to welcome Maria Fernanda Garza as its new Chair. After serving as ICC First Vice-Chair for the past two years, the small business owner from Mexico succeeds Ajay Banga as ICC Chair, making her the first woman to hold this position. Maria Fernanda Garza has been elected ICC Chair for a period of two years following a meeting of the ICC World Council, held yesterday in Mexico City. The ICC World Council additionally elected Philippe Varin, Chair of ICC France, as ICC First Vice-Chair, and Nayla Comair Obeid and Harsh Pati Singhania as ICC Vice-Chairs. Ms Garza is CEO of Orestia, as well as SRCIC Vice Chair, a small manufacturing home improvement solutions company based in Mexico, with exports to the USMCA region, Latin-America and Asia. A lifelong advocate for small and medium businesses in her home country and around the world, she participated 19 years in the Mexican Employers' Association (COPARMEX) and served as Vice-President for four years. In her new role, Ms Garza will continue to drive ICC's mission to make business work for everyone, every day, everywhere. Commenting on her election, Maria Fernanda Garza said: "Given the magnitude of the downside risks facing the global economy, it's absolutely vital for us to have a united business voice committed to openness, fair competition and the enablement of peace through international trade.” "In a period that has been characterized by weak international cooperation, I believe that ICC has a vital role to play in harnessing the expertise, innovation and networks of the private sector to secure an effective response to major global challenges. Simply put, our mission to enable peace and prosperity through trade has never been more vital — and, indeed, more urgent." Ms Garza's interest in improving the business environment made her a prominent business leader at a young age. She was the ICC Regional Coordinator for the Americas and a member of the governing body of the ICC International Court of Arbitration. An ICC Executive Board member since 2014, Ms Garza became the first woman to be elected as ICC First Vice-Chair in 2020. A strong advocate of business ethics and corporate governance standards, Ms Garza was Chair of ICC Mexico until June 2020 and is a former member of the International Affairs Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Labour and former member of the National Advisory Committee of ACLAN. She is also a Board Member of the Corporate Responsibility Alliance AliaRSE and was a member of the Corporate Responsibility Network of the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD. ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO said: "In her new capacity as Chair, Maria Fernanda's experience and insights as CEO of a successful small business will further reinforce the work we do and help ensure that ICC reaches the whole of the international business community. She has already contributed greatly to ICC's work at the global, regional and national levels, and we are very happy that she will remain a strong champion for ICC and challenge us to push ahead to promote more inclusive growth and prosperity." Effective 14 June 2022 for a two-year term, Ms Garza succeeds Ajay Banga in the role. We take this opportunity to thank Mr Banga for his outstanding leadership of our organisation during the past two years, a particularly challenging and uncertain time for businesses worldwide. Mr Banga will continue to serve on the ICC Executive Board as Honorary Chair. The ICC World Council also elected six new members of the ICC Executive Board for three-year terms, strengthening gender, ethnic and geographical diversity in ICC's leadership. Holger Bingmann, Managing Partner, Bingmann Pflüger International GmbH (Germany) Rebecca Enonchong, CEO, AppsTech and Chair of Afrilabs (Cameroon) Marjorie Yang, Chairwoman, Esquel Group (Hong Kong) Lama Al Sulaiman, Shareholder and a Board Member of Rolaco Holdings, KSA, and LUX (Saudi Arabia) Nicolas Uribe, Chair, Bogota Chamber (Colombia) Justin D’Agostino, CEO, Herbert Smith Freehills (Hong Kong) Fredrik Cappelen, Chair at Dometic and Transcom (Sweden), and Candace Johnson, Vice-Chair at NorthStar Earth and Space (Luxembourg/United States) are starting second terms as members of the ICC Executive Board. The ICC World Council additionally ratifiedthe election of Nicolas Uribe, President of the Bogota Chamber of Commerce and Chair of ICC Colombia, as Chair of the ICC World Chambers Federation. His term begins on 1 July 2022. Source: iccwbo.org

SRCIC Secretary General Diane Bian held a talk with Lum Wan Liang, Consul General of Consulate General of Malaysia in Xi'an and his delegation On April 27, 2022, SRCIC Secretary General Diane Bian held a talk with Lum Wan Liang, Consul General of Consulate General of Malaysia in Xi'an, Loh Kai Yong and Raymond Raman, President and Secretary General of the Xi'an Branch of Malaysian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China (MAYCHAM CHINA). SG Bian first extended welcome to Consul General Lum Wan Liang and his delegation. She pointed out that SRCIC has been committed to building a cooperation platform between governments and enterprises. Despite the suspension of offline activities due to the COVID pandemic, the long-standing cooperation and friendship between SRCIC and its members and partners continues. It is expected that in the post pandemic period, SRCIC and Malaysian Consulate can resume cooperation and share new opportunities for investment and development by co-sponsoring business promotion seminars and other activities. SG Diane Bian and Consul General Lum Wan Liang Although it was only his first visit to SRCIC, Consul General Lum said he had an understanding of it through MAYCHAM CHINA and affirmed SRCIC's achievements since its establishment. Subsequently, he introduced the Consulate General of Malaysia in Xi'an, and said that today's meeting is only a beginning to the many more opportunities to discuss cooperation in depth in the future. The meeting was also attended by Emma Wei, Director of SRCIC Membership Center Section I, Alina Cao, Director of SRCIC Membership Center Section II, and Valentina Wang, Deputy Director of of SRCIC Membership Center Section II.

The national "Two Sessions" for 2022 are ongoing in Beijing. The Shenzhen TV created a special program Two Sessions Through an Foreign Eye, inviting internationally influential figures to comment on China's “Two Sessions” from their perspectives. Recently, Mr. Jean-Guy Carrier, Executive Chairman of the Silk Road Chamber of International Commerce and former Secretary General of International Chamber of Commerce, was in for an interview with Zhu Endi, reporter of Shenzhen TV based in Beijing. The transcript of the interview is as follows, Zhu: Our Foreign Minister Wang Yi is holding the annual press conference right now. He mentioned before that it is cooperation that represents the mainstream of the China-US relations. To define the relationship as competition is oversimplification. So how do you think of this? Carrier: I think it's very true because I fervently believe that the world needs more Chinese culture. By that I mean the Chinese way of looking at daily life, and how you deal with living and with developing your economy and so forth, based more on cooperation than on trying to undermine each other or trying to throw tariffs and sanctions at each other. I think all of us in the world will benefit from more of that sort of attitude, being influential in the world. So in that sense, the notion of competition is always going to be there, but I think cooperation is absolutely necessary. Voiceover: Carrier is currently in Switzerland. He observed that when the people of the European continent are worried about a war, China is discussing practical problems faced by the mankind, such as economic development and coping with climate change. Such a sharp contrast made him think. When I follow what Premier Li Keqiang has said and what the People's Congress is discussing, it's such as striking contrast. Because they are talking about vital things for the entire planet like climate change, reducing inequality, the Belt and Road Initiative, and fair development and so forth. And the rest of us are obsessed with a regional war. It is such a striking contrast between that discussion and what is happening here in Europe. Again, it just emphasizes for me the importance of China in the world, and to hear what is being said and what people are thinking in China. Zhu: China has outlined its plan to stabilize domestic economy in this crucial year. So what does it mean to China and to the global economy? Carrier: I think China is becoming an engine for the economy. So we can see that with Covid-19 and all the other kinds of pressures that have been exerted around the world on trade, on investment, on flows within countries etc,. It is perfectly normal for government of China to say we have to pay more attention to our domestic market in this crisis situation. And you know frankly, for the rest of the world, this is also very important. Voiceover: Carrier analyzed that it is realistic and practical for China to set its economic growth target at around 5.5 percent this year given the COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainties of global trade and investment. I think there are very obvious reasons. First of all, every economy has suffered because of the Covid-pandemic. China is not immune from that. Also there have been so many disruptions in terms of global trade and investment. Again, everyone suffers from that. So what I find encouraging in the government’s target is I think it is realistic, (which) means to set too high a target at this point would be to try fooling everyone, (making them) thinking the world is in better shape than it is at this moment. Zhu: I noticed that you said the target is realistic and practical. In order to achieve this target, what does China need to do? Carrier: What we are all hoping for is that China will reengage with international community. (It will) in fact promote more trade and investment in the world. We see good signs of this. Chinese company is building the biggest automobile electric battery production facility in Germany. So there are encouraging signs of that sort that Chinese companies are continuing to engage in the world, to invest in the world and to work with business people around the world. And I think that is the key to Chinese development.

Shanghai has played a unique role in the Belt and Road Initiative by making a total of $30 billion investments in countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative over the past decade, according to official sources. During the same period, Shanghai inked more than $70 billion worth of project contracts and reached over $1 trillion in trade value, said Gong Zheng, mayor of Shanghai during the second Conference of the Belt and Road Economic Information Partnership and 2023 Shanghai Entrepreneurs Conference for the Belt and Road High-quality Development on Wednesday in Shanghai. "This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. By targeting high standards, sustainability and people's livelihood as the goal, Shanghai will take this opportunity to consolidate the communications and cooperations, better coordinate development and security, steadily expand high-level opening-up, strengthen high-level service as a support, continue to expand high efficiency project cooperation, and promote the high-quality development of the initiative," Gong said. Themed as "Extensive Consultation, Joint Contribution and Shared Prosperity, Embark on a New Journey", the event is hosted jointly by the Xinhua News Agency and the Shanghai Municipal People's Government. Source: China Daily

The Belt and Road Initiative, which President Xi Jinping proposed in 2013 in Astana, Kazakhstan, is of historical importance and goes far beyond its core infrastructure goals. Under the BRI framework, investment has reached nearly $1 trillion and involves 152 nations. The BRI is a truly remarkable project in scale. It not only aims to connect a wide range of countries to China economically, but also seeks to boost these countries' GDPs and achieve sustainable development with China's help. The advent of the BRI should be understood in the context of China's economic miracle, which began in 1978 with reform and opening-up proposed by then-leader Deng Xiaoping. Since the last third of the 20th century, China has been one of the largest contributors to global development. According to the World Bank, "Since China began to open up and reform its economy in 1978, GDP growth has averaged almost 10 percent per year during three decades, and more than 800 million people have been lifted out of poverty." Furthermore, between 2008 and 2021, "as the world's per capita GDP grew by 30 percent and China's by 263 percent, China accounted for more than 40 percent of global per capita GDP growth", the World Bank said. "Without China, global GDP would have grown not by 51 percent but by 33 percent". China's economic success both lends credibility to its economic model and allows it to make substantial investments globally. Many developing countries, particularly those that often struggle to obtain financing from the international financial system and Western countries, are now sharing in China's growth through its Belt and Road infrastructure investments. China's Central Asian neighbor Kazakhstan provides an excellent case study for the initiative's results to date. In 2023, Kazakhstan endorsed the four principles of mutual assistance, common economic development, universal security and everlasting friendship, and this reflects the fundamental basis of mutual cooperation in the China-Kazakhstan relationship. Kazakhstan is essential to the initiative's goal of developing trade routes with Europe through Central Asia. Kazakhstan's importance to China stems from its geostrategic position, its abundant energy resources and its role as a regional political and security partner. With the world's 12th-largest oil reserves and an abundance of mineral resources, Kazakhstan presents an important opportunity for China to secure and diversify its sources of energy and other natural resources. China is also of critical geopolitical importance to Kazakhstan. China is one of Kazakhstan's largest trading partners, and the two countries shared bilateral trade volume of $24 billion in 2022, according to the National Statistical Office of Kazakhstan. At the China-Central Asia Summit in May, Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that his government hopes to increase the volume of trade with China to $40 billion annually by 2030. Meanwhile, in 2021, China proposed the Global Development Initiative, which encompasses education, health, information technology and green energy as development drivers. The GDI has provided a window of opportunity for China and Kazakhstan to work together on projects of high utility to the people of Kazakhstan. For example, supporting Kazakhstan's growth in solar energy would be an optimal investment, given that China leads the industry. The Global Development Initiative emphasizes sustainable development in developing countries by focusing on humanitarian values such as education, clean and renewable energy, and the alleviation of poverty. Moreover, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently stressed the importance of cooperation with international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. To help people in Kazakhstan better understand the Belt and Road Initiative, China may enhance the promotion of cultural and academic exchanges, youth and student exchanges and media cooperation. Chinese investment in hospitals, educational institutions, renewable energy facilities and frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence and essential information technology infrastructure, will improve the well-being of the Kazakh people. The solution to the question of how China and Kazakhstan can build long-term, sustainable and mutually beneficial economic relationships may be found in the four principles for building a China-Central Asia community, which President Xi set forth in May at the China-Central Asia Summit in Xi'an, Shaanxi province: mutual trust, common economic development, peace and security, and everlasting friendship. The author is president of KIMEP University of Kazakhstan and former economic adviser to the president of Kazakhstan. Source: China Daily Global

BEIJING - Representatives from over 130 countries and many international organizations have confirmed their attendance at the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation scheduled for October, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday. Preparations for the forum are on, and China is in communication with partners of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for this forum, Wang told a regular news briefing. The upcoming forum is the highlight of the commemorative events to mark the BRI's 10th anniversary. Source: Xinhua

BEIJING -- China will continue to boost the green development of the Belt and Road, better protect the environment, and bring benefits to the people of all Belt and Road partner countries, Cong Liang, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission, told a press conference Tuesday. Cong made the remarks when a white paper, titled "A Global Community of Shared Future: China's Proposals and Actions," was released by the State Council Information Office on Tuesday at the press conference. Source: Xinhua

NANJING - Fully loaded with packages of wheat from Kazakhstan, a roaring China-Europe freight train enters an international logistics base in Lianyungang, a coastal city in East China's Jiangsu province. Kazakhstan is one of the world's top wheat producers, and has traditionally exported some of its wheat via sea routes. As a landlocked country, it found this option both time-consuming and expensive. However, the establishment of the China-Kazakhstan (Lianyungang) logistics cooperation base has provided it with a more convenient and economical choice. In 2013, China proposed the idea of building an "economic belt along the Silk Road" in Kazakhstan, which, combined with the proposal of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, eventually became the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The logistic cooperation base, launched in 2014, is the first entity project under the BRI. Acting as a dry port in the Horgos-Eastern Gate special economic zone and the Western China-Western Europe international transport corridor, it has become an important platform for products from Central Asian countries to reach seaports. In February 2017, the first batch of wheat produced in Kazakhstan stopped over in Lianyungang and then were sent to Southeast Asia, marking the official implementation of Lianyungang as the only departure port for Kazakhstan's grain transit in China, said Zuo Xuemei, general manager of the Lianyungang China-Kazakhstan International Logistics Co Ltd in an interview with Xinhua. China-Europe freight trains slash the transit time of Kazakh wheat, and they are also cost-effective, said Zuo, adding that over 50,000 tons of wheat from Kazakhstan have been transported from the base so far. The base has also provided some Kazakhs with job opportunities. Zharkyn Magzhan, an international graduate student from a Chinese university, became a translator there last year, and he is fond of his new life. "I have never seen such a big port before, and I have never been close to the sea for such a long time," said Magzhan. At the beginning of this year, he went back to Kazakhstan and saw many Chinese-brand vehicles and newly-added infrastructure with Chinese companies involved in the construction. "My elder brother also works in a Chinese enterprise in our hometown. The BRI not only injects impetus into the cooperation between Central Asian countries and China, but brings more opportunities for young people to work overseas and pursue a better career," said Magzhan. "I believe that projects like China-Kazakhstan (Lianyungang) logistics cooperation base will mushroom in the future and the prospects for cooperation between China and Central Asian countries are rosy," he said. In the past 10 years, more and more clients from Central Asian countries have been seeking opportunities in Lianyungang, said Xiao Faliang, multimodal transport division general manager of Sinotrans Landbridge Transportation Co Ltd, a company engaged in international freight transport. "It used to take over 20 days for goods to travel from Lianyungang to Alma Ata, the largest city in Kazakhstan, but now it takes only a week at the soonest," said Xiao, attributing the shorter time to the improved operating efficiency of China-Europe freight trains, which is also an outcome of the BRI. Because of the new choice provided by the China-Kazakhstan (Lianyungang) logistics cooperation base, Barbican Logistics LLC in Uzbekistan has been the partner of the company Xiao works with for many years. "The logistics cooperation base offers a platform for Uzbekistan, a landlocked Central Asian country, to trade with more countries and regions, as goods can now be transported to Lianyungang first, and then from Lianyungang to Southeast Asian countries," said Mirkhamidov Mirkomil, general director of Barbican Logistics LLC. The China-Kazakhstan (Lianyungang) logistics cooperation base has not only promoted mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Kazakhstan, but provided new opportunities to other inland Belt and Road countries, said Zhang Wei, an expert with the China Academy of Railway Sciences Corporation Limited. The base can also promote the economic opening up of Lianyungang, developing it into a highland of the high-quality development of China-Europe freight trains, she said. Source: China Daily

XI'AN - Braving wind and sun, camel caravans trekked along the ancient Silk Road, taking silk and tea from China to Central Asia and Europe more than 1,000 years ago. Now, clean energy products are delivered to Belt and Road countries via freight trains and flights, turning wind and sunshine into treasure. While green development is becoming a global consensus, more and more Chinese enterprises have become strong forces in building a green Belt and Road. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). At the 2023 Euro-Asia Economic Forum, Nikolay Pomoshchnikov, head of the subregional office for North and Central Asia of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific of the United Nations, said that Central Asia has huge potential for renewable energy including solar energy, wind energy and hydropower and the forum provides a very good opportunity for cooperation with China and these countries. The three-day forum concluded on Sunday in Xi'an, the capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province. Xi'an, also the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, has witnessed green development through trade exchanges between China and BRI partners. In late April this year, the city launched the first China-Europe freight train for the export of new energy vehicles (NEVs). Data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers show that from January to August 2023, China exported 727,000 NEVs, a 1.1-fold year-on-year increase. Last month, a train loaded with photovoltaic (PV) modules left Xi'an for Tashkent, Uzbekistan. These modules will serve a 1-gigawatt PV project in Uzbekistan, which will produce 2.4 billion kWh of clean energy annually, helping cut carbon emissions by up to 2.4 million tons. Li Wenxue, Party chief of the solar technology giant LONGi Green Energy Technology Co Ltd, said that the company has provided one-third of the key equipment for the PV projects in five Central Asian countries, while the number of China-Europe freight trains used for the company's PV module exports has exceeded 100, with destination countries including the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. Adil Ahmed, from Pakistan, has felt the thriving clean energy development in his hometown. Ahmed, an exhibitor attending the economic and trade expo held on the sidelines of the forum in Xi'an, said Pakistan has abundant solar energy resources, which are suitable for developing solar power. "I have installed PV panels on my roof," said the 65-year-old, adding that many of the panels were produced in China. China has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Environment Programme on building a green Belt and Road, established the Belt and Road Energy Partnership with 32 countries, and trained 3,000 people from more than 120 countries under the Green Silk Road Envoys Program. Shi Yubo, head of the China Energy Research Society, said that promoting the high-quality development of Belt and Road energy cooperation and building a greener and more inclusive energy future bring benefits to help cope with global climate change and promote green and low-carbon development among Belt and Road partners. Source: China Daily

Editor's note:Daryl Guppy, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is an international financial technical analysis expert. He has provided weekly Shanghai Index analyses for mainland Chinese media for more than a decade. Guppy appears regularly on CNBC Asia and is known as "The Chart Man." He is a former national board member of the Australia China Business Council. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily those of CGTN. The 20th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Nanning are two of the most significant events in the ASEAN region. It is more than just a trade expo with the usual fascinating array of goods and products on display. These are important, but it's the dialogues and meetings that deliver the full significance of CAEXPO because they provide a strategic guide to regional policy development. In 2014, I was invited to speak in the first Australian partner participation in CAEXPO. I got to know the outline of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and how this meshed with what is now the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It was the first time the concept had been explained fully to an international audience and the impact was significant. It set the parameters for business engagement and development in the following decade and more. This year's CAEXPO has continued that tradition of policy commitments with the opening ceremony speech by Chinese Premier Li Qiang. He emphasized the significance of building a closer China-ASEAN community. These remarks followed the recent ASEAN meeting in Jakarta where the issue of ASEAN centrality in regional decision making was a major point of discussion. Li acknowledged ASEAN centrality in the process of forging smooth China-ASEAN relationships. This is another important indication of China's desire to work within existing regional trade structures of which CAEXPO is a practical example. This is a direct counter to the approach taken by the United States which seeks to undermine ASEAN centrality in regional decision making by turning organizations like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) into a geopolitical platform. Echoing decade-old remarks, Li placed ASEAN countries at the intersection of the "Belt and Road" on both land and sea. They reflected the historical connections of China trade from the ancient land-based Tea Horse Road and the maritime trade centers in the Straits of Malacca. His remarks provided a clear indication of the vitality and growth of the BRI. This came as a shock to Western observers who have been led to believe that the BRI is a spent force. Nothing could be further from the truth as the multi-faceted BRI continues to expand its engagement with ASEAN in many key areas. The BRI is not just about physical infrastructure. It includes capital infrastructure investment to connect Chinese and ASEAN financial markets. It includes trade and soft infrastructure co-ordination to make cross border trade and settlement more efficient. The establishment of common digital standards across ASEAN is an essential foundation for progress in these areas. Consistent with the objectives of the BRI and ASEAN, the expo has a strong emphasis on the digital economy and green economy. The theme of the expo particularly supports businesses operating in emerging sectors of new information technology and new energy. CAEXPO shows that China is committed to expanding cooperation in culture, tourism, training, and youth exchange because these foster mutual understanding and friendship between the people of the region. The success of the expo in terms of the number and variety of participants, shows that China is a growing economy determined to continue its engagement with the region. On one level, CAEXPO provides an important platform for exhibitors to highlight products and services available within the region and which form the foundation of trade relationships.Many are the traditional products of trade, but they also include the breakthroughs seen with the Huawei Mate60 built on China developed chip technology. One feature overlooked in the colourful displays of ethnic dress and custom is that CAEXPO is held in Nanning, the capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. This is just one of five Autonomous regions in China, a factor rarely recognized in Western media coverage which paints China as a monolithic state. These regions illustrate the cooperative pathway that is an essential part of prosperity in the ASEAN region. On another level, CAEXPO provides the political and strategic framework that underpins the broad improvement of trade relationships, peace and prosperity within the region. Premier Li's remarks confirmed China's commitment to regional prosperity and cooperation within the ASEAN framework. Source: CGTN

The picture shows Chinese Premier Li Qiang (center) taking a group photo with Amb. Francis Chua (fifth from left, front row) and well-known ASEAN entrepreneurs. Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry News:Ambassador Francis Chua, Permanent Honorary Chairman of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Founding Chairman of the Philippine International Chamber of Commerce and Founding Chairman of the Philippine Silk Road International Chamber of Commerce as well as the SRCIC Vice Chairman, at the invitation of the host, Ministry of Commerce of China, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the Government of Guangxi Autonomous Region and Guangxi Council for the Promotion of International Trade, on September 15, went to Nanning, Guangxi Province to attend the 20th China-Asean Expo and China-Asean Business and Investment Summit, and as the only representative guest of the Philippines, met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and took photos with well-known ASEAN entrepreneurs, and attended the State banquet. The theme of this East Expo is "Building a home with harmony and Coexistence, Sharing the Future with Destiny - Promoting high-quality Development of the Belt and Road and Building an Economic Growth Center", during which the side meeting on the theme of "Institutional Opening: At "New Pattern of Regional Economic Development" will be held the first time. Representatives from ASEAN countries will have in-depth discussions and exchanges on the steady expansion of institutional openness of rules, regulations, management and standards in the region. At the same time, activities such as the "Year of Investing in China - Entering Guangxi" special event and the "Face to Face with the Business Counsellors of Chinese Missions in 10 ASEAN countries" exchange meeting will also be held to showcase China's investment opportunities, build a platform for multinational companies to understand China and invest in China, and convey to the world China's confidence and determination to unswervingly promote a high level of opening-up. This East Expo will focus on China-Asean Free Trade Area 3.0, RCEP, the "Belt and Road" and other multilateral and bilateral cooperation mechanisms, continue to hold the third RCEP Summit Forum and other institutional activities, issued the "China-Asean Free Trade Area 3.0 Business Opportunities Outlook" blue book, guide regional enterprises to better grasp the new economic and trade rules, better share the RCEP high-quality implementation of the new dividends. Writer/Picture:Pol Ongkinglok Linguister/Editor:Stephanie Tan

Qinghai's Achievements in Practicing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,cohosted by the International Department of the CPC Central Committee and the CPC Qinghai Provincial Committee, was held in Xining,Qinghai Provinceon September12. The theme of the event was Chinese Modernization: Harmony Between Humanity and Nature.Over 150 political party leaders or representatives from nearly 30 countries attended the event in person and online. Mr. Mohammad Omer,the SRCIC member andDirector of the China-Africa Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization,was invited to the event. Mr. Omer expressed his appreciation and thanks to the International Department of the CPC Central Committee and the CPC Qinghai Provincial Committee for co-hosting this important event. He underlined how the world can learn from Qinghai's experience of Chinese Modernization in the New Era. Andpointed out that this eventrelates well to the Global Development Initiative proposed by H.E. President Xi and where China-Africa Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization signed its Declaration. In conclusion, Mr. Omer said that Qinghai's success on achieving harmony between mankind and nature contributes to the realization of the Green Silk Road and Building Jointly an Ecological Community of Shared Future for Mankind.

By Adnan Akfirat,Chairman of the Turkish-Chinese Business Development and Friendship Association Can there be a port at the farthest distance from the sea? I went to the Horgos Free Economic Zone, known as the world's largest dry port, which is crossed by both road and rail and will soon have air service. I have seen it, I am writing about it! AT THE INACCESSIBILITY POLE OF EURASIA The Horgos Free Trade Economic (FEZ), a joint creation of both countries on the China-Kazakhstan border, lies at the foot of what is known as the Eurasian Pole of Inaccessibility. The Pole of Inaccessibility is a geographical term. It refers to the geographical region on a continent farthest from the seas. This is the ingenuity of the Asian Century: Eurasia's Pole of Inaccessibility is now the crossroads of transcontinental transportation and manufacturing. Horgos FEZ, in the north of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on the China-Kazakhstan border, is at the very heart of Asia. And it serves as the heart of trade not only to Asia but also to three continents, including Europe and Africa. Asia and Europe's products pass Horgos by road and rail to reach their destinations. Products arriving by sea are also transported by land and rail to the ends of Asia via Horgos. Cargo containers that arrive at Horgos FEZ in 5 days by rail from the port city of Lianyungang in eastern China can reach the city of Duisburg in northwestern Germany in 10 days. This connection route, which is 3 times faster than sea transportation and half the cost of air transportation, offers an alternative to investors in terms of time and cost. Goods purchased from Horgos FEZ can be freely shipped to CIS countries without any additional customs inspection or tax. HERODOTUS' LEGEND COMES TRUE! Horgos is a historical gateway. It has long been called the Dzungarian Gate (or Altai Pass). It is the only pass through the 4,800-kilometer mountain wall stretching from Manchuria to Afghanistan. It is a convenient natural gateway for riders on horseback between the western Eurasian steppes and the lands further east. It has also been noted for its fierce and almost constant winds. In his "Histories", Herodotus quotes travelers' reports of a country in the northeast where men with the bodies of lions and the wings of eagles guarded the gold and the North Wind came out of a mountain cave. Hyperborea, a term meaning beyond the point where Boreas, the god of the North Wind, breathed his breath, is the name of a mythical land in Greek Mythology beyond the North Wind, where the sun never fails to shine, the trees are always full of fruit and the meadows are always green. Some scholars argue that there is a connection between the Dzungarian Gate and the home of Boreas, the creator of the North Wind in Greek mythology. Because this gate is at the foot of the Altai Mountains, named after the Golden Mountain. Horgos have replaced the house of Boreas! BREAKING NEW GROUND IN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION The Horgos FEZ is intended to be a game-changing catalyst for international cooperation and trade. Officially called the International Center for Border Cooperation (ICBC), the five-square-kilometer Free Economic Zone is located in the middle of the Saryesik-Atyrau desert, 670 kilometers west of Urumqi and 380 kilometers east of Almaty. Horgos, in the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture of China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, means "the place where camel caravans pass" in Mongolian and "the place where wealth accumulates" in Kazakh. The new city of Horgos on the Chinese side, the size of New York City, is like an oasis in the desert. On the Kazakh side, the developing Horgos-East Gate Special Economic Zone is recovering rapidly after the pandemic. Many of the China-Europe rail lines pass through here. Horgos is also the crossroads of the Western Europe-Western China Highway from the Yellow Sea to the Baltic. It is a successful implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, a massive economic cooperation-trade network of interconnected land and sea ports, special economic zones, new cities, and free trade zones in which 134 countries in Eurasia, Africa, and South America are actively participating. Horgos is positioned as a gateway for international trade linking east and west and a bridgehead for the opening of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to the west. It is the world's first cross-border international free economic zone and China's first special economic zone "inside the country but outside the jurisdiction of customs". Moreover, with the facilities provided by the Chinese central government and the strong interest of the Uyghur Autonomous Region, the Horgos Local Government offers very attractive investment incentives for setting up manufacturing facilities. The incentives offered by both China and Kazakhstan for Horgos FEZ to become a production base deserve the attention of investors. THE BRIGHT ROAD OF KAZAKHSTAN When it first opened in December 2011, the Khorgos FEZ was heralded as a cornerstone of China-Kazakhstan bilateral relations and a prime example of Kazakhstan's broader "Nurlu Yol" plan to diversify its economy beyond energy exports. Presented in promotional materials as "a huge new city of the future where two civilizations intersect," Horgos FEZ is envisioned as a multicultural economic crossroads where Central Asian Turks, Russians, and Chinese can come together to buy each other's goods, eat each other's cuisine and consume each other's entertainment and culture. A new city is being built on the Kazakhstan side of the Horgos FEZ. Nurkent is expected to be home to 100,000 people. The first zone is 90% complete. It was announced that the entire development and construction of Nurkent City Phase One will be completed in September 2023. It is planned to be fully completed by 2035. Nurkent is seen as a vehicle to help resettle workers at the Khorgos-East Gate, the largest transportation and logistics hub in the Belt and Road Initiative. These workers will be retrained as a permanent source of labor for the Horgos FEZ, which is already a major trade hub between Kazakhstan and China and is developing into a favored manufacturing zone. HUGE WORK IN LESS TIME The Chinese side of Horgos consists of five giant four-story wholesale markets. They are located side by side in blocks, with wide sidewalks and roads between them. No personal vehicles are allowed within the area, and public golf carts and vans transport customers from the shopping complex to the shopping complex. New wholesale markets continue to be added, while unfinished construction projects take up much of the land. Like Chinese wholesale markets, the inside of the malls is made up of hundreds of small shops and booths rented by individual vendors. Most of the buildings, floors, and corridors are organized by product type. Vendors call out to you as you walk through aisles filled with huge waist-high piles of goods. But it is important to remember that this is not just a new free trade zone, but an entirely new economy being created. ICBC is just one part of a multi-pronged development initiative to build an entirely new trade, manufacturing, and logistics zone where none existed before. The adjacent Horgos special economic zone is estimated to attract 30,000 workers and their families, while the city of Horgos is being built for 200,000 people. Such large-scale development anywhere takes decades, not just years. China did it in 10 years. TUCEM OPENS TURKISH BRANDS TO CHINA FROM HORGOS At the invitation of Mr. Ma Fuming, President of Horgos International Chamber of Commerce, we as the Turkish-Chinese Business Matching Center delegation Mr, Serdar Kulu, Director of TUCEM Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and I spent four full days in Horgos between April 26-30. Mr. Rutkay Çakırkaya, the owner of Balizza, one of Turkey's leading women's clothing brands, joined us coming from through Kazakhstan. We were received by Mr. Hao Jianmin, the CCP Secretary of Horgos. The Uyghur, Kazakh, Hui, and Han officials of the Horgos Local Government mobilized with sincere interest to provide the best service. Here is our good news: On August 12-14, we are organizing a special exhibition and fashion show with Turkish clothing brands in Horgos International Free Economic Zone. Hao Jianmin, Secretary of Horgos CPC, has committed to bringing a delegation of 1000 buyers, including all major garment buyers from the eastern region of China. Turkey is organizing the first international event of Horgos FEZ in a magnificent venue built in the shape of a Chinese Palace. We will continue to report good news from Horgos!

I have been in Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, for a week. It snowed two days long, but now spring is in full bloom. It is invigorating with a blue sky that is rarely seen in Shanghai and fresh clean air. During the holy month of Ramadan, we are in a society that fulfills the obligations of Islam. There is peace and respect for faith. I will follow the proverb attributed to the great traveler, scholar, and linguist Evliya Çelebi (1): “Keep what you eat and drink and tell what you see”. The biggest economicdevelopment in progress According to the 2023 Program of the Government of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, the Region will achieve the fastest economic development in its history in the next five years. The government program, presented by Autonomous Region Chairman Erkin Tuniyaz at the opening session of the 14th People's Assembly of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region on January 16, 2023, makes this claim. Erkin Tuniyaz stated that the plan is to exceed China’s national average in all economic indicators over the next five years and announced a GDP growth target of 7 percent for 2023. The link to grasp: opening up! In politics, there is a concept called the “ring to grasp”. It is used to refer to the step that, how you tackle and solve a set of problems that come your way, this paves the way for the solution of other problems. In the Uyghur Autonomous Region's “economic boom”, opening up to the outside world has been identified as the “Ring to Grasp”. Xinjiang CPC Secretary Ma Xingrui's experience as the governor of Shenzhen city and Guangdong province played a major role in this change. Prof. Ma Xingrui, one of China’s renowned rocket scientists, was elected to the Political Bureau of the Central Committee at the 20th Congress of the CPC. He is currently ranked 8th in the CPC hierarchy. Ma Xingrui, who became the Party secretary of the Uyghur Autonomous Region in December 2021 with the great support of the Xi Jinping administration, brought a breath of fresh air to Xinjiang, which we covered in our article titled “More Socialism, Happier Uyghurs” dated June 10, 2022, at Aydinlik Daily in Turkish. Ma Xingrui is prioritizing a high level of opening up to make Xinjiang a core region of the “Silk Road Economic Belt”, one of the two main pillars of the Belt and Road Initiative. Neighboring 8 countries, the region is making an intensive effort to mobilize the opportunities of its geographical location. Erkin Tuniyaz announced the full resumption of all services at the Uyghur Autonomous Region's 13 land ports at the beginning of the year. In an interview with CGTN, Kaiser Abdulkerim, Vice President of the Autonomous Region, explains how they will achieve 7 percent growth: “We will vigorously promote the economic vitality of various market actors; we will create an efficient and good business environment for state-owned enterprises to be bold, private enterprises to be daring, and foreign enterprises to be eager to invest. In the future, we will promote the modernization of agriculture, and support the stable production and quality improvement of the cotton industry. We are very excited to welcome visitors from all over the world. This is a multi-religious, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural society and a place where different civilizations live together. In the coming days, we will utilize these advantages to launch the ‘Xinjiang Tourism Development’ initiative.” Ma Xingrui's first trip abroad On Monday, March 27, Ma Xingrui led a large Sichuan government delegation on an official visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Ma Xingrui is said to have assumed central responsibility for China's opening to the West. CPC secretaries of provinces and autonomous regions rarely travel abroad. Ma Xingrui was received at the highest level in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. In Astana, he met with President Kassym Jomart Tokayev and Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, and in Tashkent with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and in Bishkek with KyrgyzPresident Sadyr Japarov. President Tokayev said Kazakhstan wants to deepen cooperation with China on the basis of strategic partnership and eternal friendship. “We are ready to work with our Chinese colleagues to increase trade volume to $35 billion by 2030,” Prime Minister Smailov said. Smailov and Ma also discussed measures to eliminate bottlenecks at the border. Green corridors have already been opened at two of the five checkpoints. Ismailov also raised the issue of speeding up visa processing for Kazakh trucks entering China. Ma Xingrui said, “As a region of China, we are responsible for the country’s ties with the West. We see Kazakhstan as a top priority area of cooperation. In general, China’s cooperation with Kazakhstan is carried out through Xinjiang.” On November 29, during his visit to Uzbekistan, it was announced that they discussed the implementation of joint projects in the field of renewable energy, the development of transport infrastructure, the creation of industrial parks and agricultural clusters in Uzbekistan with the participation of leading Chinese companies. Mutual interest in accelerating the Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan-China railway construction project was emphasized. President Mirziyoyev's office said in a statement: “It is with deep satisfaction that we note the fruitful results of the historic summit held in Samarkand in September last year, which marked the beginning of a new era in Uzbek-Chinese comprehensive strategic partnership relations.” It said. Ma Xingrui said the purpose of his visit was “to build a bridge of friendship and cooperation between the north and south of the Tienshan and to enable Xinjiang to contribute to writing a new page of friendship between China and Uzbekistan.” KyrgyzPresident Sadyr Japarov, touching upon China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway construction projectnoted that itwould contribute tothe deepening oftrade and economic cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and XUAR, and would also have amultiplicative effect onthe development ofother sectors ofthe economy. Inparticular, the parties signed memorandums ofintent toexport electricity toChina and build a500-kilovolt power transmission line Kyrgyzstan-China and small hydropower plants in Bishkek. Xinjiang really opens to the west with Türkiye The biggest longing of Uyghurs living in the region is access to Turkish goods. The demand for closer economic cooperation with Türkiye has also been the aspiration of the Autonomous Region's administration, which has made “opening up Xinjiang to the west” a top priority. During our meeting in Urumqi on July 5 last year, Ma Xingrui expressed this desire very strongly and invited us to play a role in developing relations with Türkiye. Indeed, on Tuesday, March 28, we met with a large government delegation led by Xing Tao, the head of the Trade Administration of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Xinjiang officials responded positively to all of our requests, reflecting the will of Ma Xingrui. As TUCEM Turkish-Chinese Business Matching Center, we will organize a special fair and fashion show with the participation of 50 Turkish and European clothing brands in the Khorgos International Free Zone, which is located on the China-Kazakhstan border and has the title of “the world’s largest land port” on July 5-9. The Khorgos International Chamber of Commerce hosts this event. The President of the Chamber of Commerce, Ma Fuming, is a Hui Muslim. We negotiated and signed the agreement for the Special Fair and Fashion Show during two iftar meals in our honor. Again, we undertook the Turkish representation of the “Eurasia Commodity and Trade Fair” and “The Tienshan International Shopping Festival” to be held on August 17-21. We will organize the Turkish fashion show in Urumqi as well, and we will create a wind of modern clothing and lifestyle. In addition, we will serve Türkiye’s leading food, cosmetics, and daily use items to reach 1 billion 400 million Chinese consumers through the Xinjiang market. The Deputy Secretary of the China-Eurasia Expo is an Uyghur: Ms. Mihrigul Tursun. We also have good news: We have started working to transform a 60 thousand square meter shopping center in Urumqi into an “imported products duty-free sales center”. Xinjiang government invites Turkish merchants and investors There have been no terrorist incidents in the region for the last 6 years. Relations between ethnic groups in the region are being repaired. Uyghur villagers are being taught Chinese, while Han-based administrators are learning Uyghur. Uighurs have been liberated and relieved from the oppression and terror of religious bigotry in previous years. The impact of Ma Xingru's top priority, “establishing a rule by law”, is felt by ordinary people. An extraordinary effort is being made to “make sure that what happens in Shanghai, what happens in Beijing, happens in Xinjiang”. Xing Tao, head of the Xinjiang Commerce Administration, said, “We invite Turkish merchants and investors to the Uyghur Autonomous Region. We will give them incentives as long as they develop the economy,” he emphasized. Turkish business people are smart and entrepreneurial. They will not leave this strong call from the heart of Asia unanswered. Those who want to earn money will do business in the Uyghur Region. Adnan Akfirat is a Representative to China and Member of International Relations Bureau of Patriotic Party of Turkey; Chairman of Turkish-Chinese Business Development and Friendship Association (Turk-Cin Is Der); visitor researcher of Shanghai University Turkish Studies Center and Shihezi University Silk Road Research Center. Mr. Akfirat has been living in Shanghai since 2011. Source:unitedworldint.com

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Sughd province and the Executive Office of Sughd Provinces of the Republic of Tajikistan in cooperation with development partners are conducting the traditional IX-International Trade Fair "Sughd-2023" in Khujand, Sughd province on 22-24 June 2023. The key objective of the Trade Fair is to strengthen long-term trade and partnership links between the business community of Tajikistan with trade companies, potential consumers, investors and businesses from abroad through establishing a platform aimed at demonstrating the potential and possibilities of Sughd province along with the best practices of other countries. Based on the results of the Ⅷ-International Trade Fair "Sughd-2022", which was held in June 2022, it can be noted that this event has already become recognizable among the business circles of the republic and abroad. The exhibition presented products of more than 200 companies from different regions of the Republic of Tajikistan and was attended by entrepreneurs from near and far abroad interested in expanding trade relations. As a result of the Sughd-2022 exhibition held in Khujand, more than 60 contracts, memorandums and agreements were signed. The upcoming IX-International Trade Fair "Sughd-2023" provides new opportunities for expanding and implementing your business through the exchange of professional experience and the presentation of modern and investment projects. In general, the Sughd-2023 International Trade Fair promises to become a place where, in a businesslike and comfortable atmosphere, it will be possible to discuss the terms of cooperation, conclude profitable contracts and meet with potential partners and suppliers. Given the above, it is a great honor for us to invite you and the business community of your region to take part in the IX - International Trade Fair "Sughd-2023". Contact:Ganjina Bakhtiyorovna Tel: (+992) 92754 2421 E-mail: info@tpp-sugd.tj; tpp-tj@bk.ru