A Bright Shared Future
– Stories Along the Belt and Road
Compiled by the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce
Price: RMB 99
Paperback, 259 pages
Published by Foreign Languages Press & China Commerce And Trade Press
During his state visits to Kazakhstan and Indonesia in 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the proposal of building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road, which became known as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Though proposed by China, the BRI is becoming a popular global public good. The initiative spans different regions and civilizations, involving countries in different development stages. It is now helping to form a strong development synergy across the globe.
A Bright Shared Future, a book series jointly published by Foreign Languages Press and China Commerce and Trade Press, is a collection of stories on implementing BRI projects. It is made up of three volumes. Each volume consists of 20 stories, forming a mosaic of an international community with a shared future for humanity. People from different continents told their own stories of national development. These stories, covering a wide range of areas such as foreign trade and investment, engineering, agriculture, manufacturing, service industry and other sectors, also involve those overseas Chinese project workers who have contributed to global economic growth.
Numerous infrastructure construction projects have been proposed and carried out along the BRI routes. The first sea-crossing bridge on the island country of Maldives is one of these infrastructure projects. This bridge connects Male, the capital of Maldives, and other islands, greatly improving transportation for local residents and also driving the country’s economic growth. Hulhumale Island is a balmy and romantic place with its gentle sea breeze, the sound of murmuring waves, and swaying coconut trees. Since the opening of the bridge, the central business district on Hulhumale has been buzzing with thriving shops and businesses, showing signs of unprecedented prosperity. After a busy day, people head there to enjoy their leisure hours in the evening. “The bridge has made our coffee bar more popular,” 34-year-old manager Arman said, adding that thanks to the transport convenience of the marvelous bridge his customers stay on until midnight.
The book also contains some stories about economic and trade cooperation zones to promote local industry and business. China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, established in 2008, is located in the Golden Triangle of Suez Asia, Africa, and Europe, close to the Suez Canal. It is a modern industrial park built by China and Egypt to promote the economic development of Egypt. Nahla Emad, who began as an ordinary staffer, has now become the general manager of the Zone Development Company. Her Chinese colleagues shared their efficient work methods and skills with her and she was also sent to China for training. “In our zone, Egyptians and Chinese staff have excellent cooperation and the Egyptian staff have good promotion opportunities,” she said.
The book also devotes some space to stories about people’s livelihood. “Juncao Spreads Its Magic in Fiji” and “Hybrid Rice Creates Food Security” are two such examples. Juncao, literally meaning “fungus grass” in Chinese, was developed by Chinese scientists after decades of research and cultivation. In the first story, Chinese scientists provided the fungus planting techno-logy as a free assistance project to Fiji, so that locals can plant fungus for mushroom farming, or as livestock forage in the dry season. The fungus’ leaves, stems and roots can also be used for ecological purposes, such as soil erosion control and desertification prevention. Juncao has thus become a magic grass that helps locals rise out of poverty and live better lives. Another impressive story is that through agricultural assistance projects, China has trained hybrid rice technicians and bred improved hybrid rice varieties for many countries, helping them increase grain production and income, not only meeting their food needs, but also helping some countries to realize grain exports.
Today, the BRI is steering toward a green, low-carbon, and sustainable development path, while promoting policy communication, facilitating connectivity, promoting trade and finance, and improving people-to-people ties. The joint efforts of the participating countries and international organizations have opened up a new space for global economic growth, created a new platform for international trade and investment, and ushered in new practices in global economic governance. They have made new contributions to promoting people’s well-being universally, and provided Chinese solutions for building a community of shared future for humanity.
It is hoped that the book, with its touching human-centric stories, can help readers understand the significance of forging a community with a shared future for humanity, and also the close connection between the Chinese Dream and the aspirations of the people from other countries.
