Li Xikui, Vice President of Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony
date：2023-12-15 15:30:59 hits：
The 5th Belt and Road Women’s Forum successfully convened in Sanya, Hainan from December 6-8. Co-hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, and the UN Resident Coordinator Office in China, and jointly organized by the People’s Government of Sanya City, the China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development, and the Secretariat of the Belt and Road Women’s Forum. Chen Xi, Mayor of the People’s Government of Sanya City, attended the opening ceremony of the forum and delivered a speech.
Li Xikui, Vice President of Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony
Respected Mrs. Arya Ali and Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee,
Honored Vice-Chairperson Cheng Hong and Mayor Chen Xi,
Distinguished diplomats, esteemed guests,
Ladies and gentlemen, friends,
Good morning! I am delighted to join you all in beautiful Sanya, Hainan, to attend the 5th Belt and Road Women’s Forum. First and foremost, on behalf of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, as one of the hosts, I extend a sincere welcome to all guests and heartfelt thanks for your long-standing support for the development of women’s affairs in China.
2023 marks the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s proposal of the Belt and Road Initiative, a celebratory moment, and a crucial juncture to reflect on the past and look towards the future. Over the past decade, the Belt and Road Initiative has fully transitioned from concept to action, from vision to reality. It has led to the creation of a new global interconnected model, opened new paths for shared prosperity and development, and explored new solutions for the transformation of the global governance system, becoming a widely welcomed international public product and cooperation platform.
The splendid achievements of the Belt and Road Initiative are the result of joint efforts from all parties, and significantly, the active participation and contribution of women. They have displayed exceptional talents in various fields such as economy, technology, culture, sports, and art, providing robust support for the deep advancement of the initiative and playing a unique role in this historic process.
Women are builders of social harmony in the Belt and Road construction, focusing on social justice and caring for vulnerable groups. Their participation in various social affairs has promoted harmonious social development. Their efforts have made the Belt and Road construction more attuned to the needs of the people, fostering an equitable, just, and inclusive society.
Women are promoters of civilization. In the era of globalization, the exchange and mutual learning of civilizations are indispensable drivers of human development. Women’s participation in international exchanges has fostered cooperation in culture, education, technology, and arts, providing more opportunities for people from different countries to understand each other. Their efforts have turned the Belt and Road into a bridge of cultural exchange, contributing to the prosperity of global cultural diversity.
Women are also participants in economic development. In Belt and Road cooperation, they play an increasingly important role in entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology. Their vitality and creativity in economic construction have injected new momentum into global prosperity.
Throughout this process, women have emerged in various industries, contributing indispensable innovative capacity to the joint construction of the Belt and Road.
The Belt and Road Women’s Forum has a unique value in promoting the development of women’s affairs and international friendly exchanges. It encourages more women to play active roles in various fields, pushing the Belt and Road construction towards broader horizons, and contributing more wisdom and strength to the initiative.
Lastly, I want to thank the People’s Government of Sanya City for its support, showing Sanya’s high regard and cooperation for the forum and providing a favorable environment for the guests. The Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries is an important organization engaged in people-to-people diplomacy in China. In the future, we will strengthen cooperation with relevant units and international organizations to expand the influence of the forum, making it an important platform for promoting the development of women’s affairs and international friendly exchanges. Let us look forward to creating a more brilliant chapter for the forum's future development. I wish the 5th Belt and Road Women’s Forum a great success.
Thank you, everyone!
The theme of the forum, ‘She Power: Jointly Building and Sharing a Beautiful Life,’ reflects a focus on women’s unique contributions and empowerment within the context of the Belt and Road Initiative. Organized by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, and the All-China Youth Federation, along with the People’s Government of Sanya City leadership, the forum brought together over 400 participants. These included the First Lady of Guyana, representatives from the United Nations, Nobel laureates in Physiology or Medicine, and ambassadors from Kyrgyzstan, Zambia, Maldives, Switzerland, Nepal, Guyana, Uganda, Mozambique, and various other countries, along with national and international business representatives.
During the forum, in-depth discussions and exchanges took place around the theme. Guests shared insights on the distinctive role played by women in the ten years since the Belt and Road Initiative was launched. They highlighted the substantial achievements of women and looked forward to the future of the initiative, advocating for women’s empowerment to foster common development and prosperity in human society.
2023 marks the tenth anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. Over the past decade, the Belt and Road Women’s Forum has been instrumental in showcasing the unique role of women in the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, promoting comprehensive and sustainable development for women, and enhancing people-to-people connections among the participating countries. The forum has successfully established a platform for communication and collaboration among women across the Belt and Road countries, building bridges for mutual understanding and cooperation.