H.E. Jiang Jiang: Belt and Road – An Initiative for Win-win Cooperation
驻马耳他大使姜江：共建“一带一路”，实现互利共赢
10 April 2018
2018年4月10号
The Silk Road has an ancient history and a promising future. Since President Xi Jinping put forward the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in late 2013, it has become a reality and is yielding fruitful results. To date, China has signed Belt and Road cooperation agreements with 80 countries and organizations, conducted industrial capacity cooperation with over 30 countries, and built 75 overseas economic cooperation zones in 24 countries. Chinese businesses have invested over US$60 billion in Belt and Road partner countries and created nearly 200,000 jobs in them.
丝路，承载着历史的厚重，绽放着蓬勃的生机。2013年底中国国家主席习近平提出“一带一路”倡议以来，不到5年时间，这一倡议从理念到行动，从愿景到现实，取得了丰硕成果。目前为止，中国已同80个国家和国际组织签署“一带一路”合作协议，同30多个国家开展机制化产能合作，在24个国家推进建设75个境外经贸合作区。中国企业对沿线国家投资累计超过600亿美元，创造了近20万个就业岗位。
To facilitate the initiative, China has launched the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Silk Road Fund. By the end of 2017, the AIIB had approved more than 20 investment projects totaling over US$3.7 billion. The Silk Road Fund has signed off 17 deals and committed investments worth US$7 billion. When attending the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing last May, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said that Belt and Road could help make economic globalization more balanced, inclusive and harmonious, and contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. He called on all parties to seize the opportunity and actively participate in the initiative for win-win outcomes.
为配合倡议实施，中国还发起成立了亚洲基础设施投资银行和“丝路基金”。截至2017年底，亚投行批准总额超过37亿美元的20多个投资项目。“丝路基金”已签约17个项目，承诺投资70亿美元。联合国秘书长古特雷斯去年5月在北京出席“一带一路”国际合作高峰论坛时表示，“一带一路”有助于推动经济全球化更加平衡、包容、和谐发展，有利于促进联合国2030年可持续发展议程的实施，各方应抓住机遇，积极支持和参与“一带一路”建设，实现互利共赢。
Quite a few Maltese friends have asked me about the secret behind the rapid success of the Belt and Road Initiative. My answer is that it echoes the call for mutual benefit and common development, and follows the basic principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits.
不少马耳他朋友问我“一带一路”倡议短时间内取得成功的原因是什么，我的回答是：这一倡议顺应合作共赢的时代潮流，符合共同发展的普遍愿望，遵循“共商、共建、共享”的基本原则。
“Extensive consultation” emphasizes equality. China has always believed in mutual respect and treating each other as equals, and advocated mutual accommodation and dialogue among civilizations. Despite their differences in national condition, development stage and cultural background, all participants of Belt and Road are equally important partners. We take the view that all the Belt and Road projects must be open and transparent. We make sure that they are aligned with the development strategy and long-term plan of the participating countries. They shall give enough flexibility to and fully accommodate the reasonable concerns of all parties in the spirit of seeking common ground, respecting differences and pursuing common prosperity.
“共商”强调平等性。中国一贯主张处理国与国关系时相互尊重、平等相待，倡导不同文明相互包容、加强对话。“一带一路”参与国国情千差万别，发展程度和文化背景不一，但都是平等、重要的伙伴。所有项目都坚持公开透明、充分协商，对接各国的发展战略、愿景与长远规划，充分照顾各方舒适度与合理关切，求同存异，共生共荣。
“Joint contribution” emphasizes openness. President Xi Jinping stressed that the Belt and Road is open to all friends. Wherever they are from, Asia, Europe, Africa or the Americas, they all can be partners in building the Belt and Road. We don’t exclude any country. China welcomes the participation of any country which endorses the Silk Road Spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit. In fact, all participating countries may have felt strongly that the BRI is by no means a geopolitical tool, but rather an open and inclusive platform for international cooperation.
“共建”强调开放性。习近平主席曾强调指出，“一带一路”建设向所有朋友开放，不论来自亚洲欧洲，还是非洲美洲，都是“一带一路”建设国际合作的伙伴。我们不排斥任何国家，只要认同以和平合作、开放包容、互学互鉴、互利共赢为核心的丝路精神，中方都欢迎。实际上，参与合作的国家都能深切感受到这绝不是中国的地缘政治工具，而是开放包容的国际合作平台。
“Shared benefits” emphasizes win-win results. The BRI follows China’s traditional preference for mutual benefit, common interests and cooperation for common development. Despite the volatility of the global situation, it advocates a vision of respecting others’ interests while pursuing one’s own and advances common interests of all. It is China’s wish to not only promote the sustainable growth of its own economy, but also take an active part in regional cooperation. What China seeks is the overall benefits of common development for all. The Belt and Road is a modern version of the Chinese approach of putting the greater good before self-interests. It represents a new vision of global governance and charts a new course for globalization that China is committed to advancing together with other countries.
“共享”强调互惠性。“一带一路”倡议在思接千载中赓续互利互惠、合作共赢的传统理念，在国际变局乱象中坚持美美与共、天下大同的发展目标。我们不仅促进自身经济可持续发展，还愿积极深入开展区域合作，与别国共享发展成果和利益，追求百花齐放的大利，而非一枝独秀的小利。这不仅升华了中国传统的义利之辨，更是一种全球治理理念，为中国携手各国共同推进建设新型全球化指明了发展路径。
Take the cooperation between China and Europe for example. In 2017, the China-Europe cargo train services reached 36 European cities in 13 countries and made Chinese and European goods more accessible to each other’s market. In Serbia, a Chinese enterprise bought a troubled steel mill and turned it around in less than a year. In Greece, the Port of Piraeus regained its position as one of the largest ports in Europe with Chinese participation. In the UK, China is partnering with France to build a nuclear power plant, a stellar example of tripartite cooperation under the BRI. A European think tank estimates that the EU’s external trade will increase by 6 percent thanks to the BRI.
以中欧合作为例，2017年中欧班列到达欧洲13个国家36个城市，为中欧商品进入彼此市场提供了极大便利。中国企业收购的塞尔维亚钢厂不到一年扭亏为盈；中国接手希腊比雷埃夫斯港，使该港重新跻身欧洲大港之列；中法联手在英国建设核电站，成为“一带一路”高新技术项目合作典范。据欧洲智库测算，欧盟全球贸易可能因“一带一路”倡议而额外增长6%。
The BRI is bringing a golden opportunity for cooperation between China and Malta. Malta is located in the heart of the Mediterranean and neighbors Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. It enjoys a unique geographical position and favorable investment environment. In 2014, the Chinese and Maltese governments signed a MOU on Mid-term Cooperation. In 2015, Malta joined the AIIB as a founding member. In 2017, our bilateral trade grew by 31.4 percent year on year. Chinese investment projects by Shanghai Electric, Huawei, RHZL and AbaChem in Malta are making steady advances.
“一带一路”倡议为中马进一步深化合作也带来重要机遇。马耳他地处地中海中心，毗邻欧洲、北非和中东，具有独特的区位优势和良好的投资环境。2014年中马两国政府签署中期合作规划，为全方位提升中马务实合作水平提供指引。2015年马耳他以创始成员国身份加入亚投行。2017年中马贸易额同比增长31.4%，上海电力、华为、中电投融合租赁、雅本化学等企业在马运营合作稳步推进。
This year marks the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up. Going forward, China’s door will open even wider, for this serves our own interests as well as those of others. China will host its first International Import Expo in Shanghai in November and the second Belt and Road Form for International Cooperation next year. We welcome Malta and other countries to participate in these events under the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. We firmly believe that so long as we all work together as partners on this promising initiative, we will embrace a better future.
今年是中国改革开放40周年。站在新的历史发展方位，中国开放的大门只会越开越大，因为这符合我们自身的利益，也将使各国共同受益。中国将于今年11月在上海举办首届国际进口博览会，明年还将举办第二届“一带一路”国际合作高峰论坛，欢迎包括马耳他在内的世界各国赴华参会，共商发展大计、共建合作平台、共享互利成果。我们深信，只要各方携手沿着这条充满希望的道路走下去，必将迎来一个更加美好的明天。