3 types of power in President Xi's keynote speech at BRF

President Xi Jinping's keynote speech at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on Sunday offers a profound view on the Belt and Road Initiative from the perspectives of history and reality, vision and action, as well as involving mind and matter.
by Fang Zhenghui
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President Xi Jinping poses with representatives at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in the National Convention Center in Beijing on May 14, 2017. by Xu Xun/China Pictorial

President Xi Jinping's keynote speech at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on Sunday offers a profound view on the Belt and Road Initiative from the perspectives of history and reality, vision and action, as well as involving mind and matter. It is undoubtedly full of inspiration and power.

The speech demonstrates the power of conviction, the kernel of the Silk Road Spirit. Throughout history, our forefathers kept moving forward regardless of facing billowing waves, rugged mountains and endless deserts. With the same conviction in which they steadfastly adhered to building a road of peace, prosperity, openness, innovation and civilization, we have taken solid steps to implement the Belt and Road Initiative and achieved significant achievements over the past four years. Both history and reality show that,with common conviction, we can develop a shared vision and forge strong synergy.

The speech emphasizes the power of culture in the pursuit of the Belt and Road Initiative. Culture builds bridges of mutual understanding between the peoples of different countries. No matter how diverse the cultures, they share common features. The Silk Road Spirit encompasses not only cultural integration drawn from our history, but also people's aspiration for cultural exchanges today, spurring us to pursue the Initiative.

The speech presents China's image as a major responsible country and displays the power of responsibility. China has made great efforts to boost policy communications, infrastructure connectivity, trade link, capital flows and understanding among peoples since the Initiative was proposed. At the BRF, President Xi introduced new programs to further implement the Initiative. This consolidates China's image as a major responsible country, translating vision into action, and initiatives into commitments; this, in turn, bolsters the confidence of the countries along the route and the international community in general in promoting the Initiative.

The author is Vice President of China International Publishing Group.