6. A road of connected civilizations
In pursuing the Belt and Road Initiative, we should ensure that with regard to different civilizations, exchange will replace estrangement, mutual learning will replace clashes, and coexistence will replace a sense of superiority. This will boost mutual understanding, mutual respect and mutual trust between different countries.
The ancient Silk Road facilitated interactions between countries and between ethnic groups as well as advances in human civilization. The Belt and Road Initiative is rooted in profound civilizations and inclusive cultures. It provides a platform for participating countries to approach each other and enhance mutual learning. It enables deeper exchanges between peoples from different countries, cultures and historical backgrounds. It allows peoples, regardless of their ethnicities, cultures, social systems and religions, to communicate, blend and connect with each other from a new height, in joint efforts to build a global community of shared future. The Belt and Road Initiative encourages the countries involved to conduct extensive cooperation in education, technology, culture, health, sports, media and tourism. It facilitates exchanges among political parties, youth organizations, civil society organizations, think tanks, women's associations, and local authorities. A development trend toward common prosperity of all civilizations is apparent, highlighting harmony without uniformity and unity in diversity.
China, together with other B&R countries and related international organizations, is willing to establish a multi-tiered mechanism for cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and build more cooperation platforms and channels. We should boost educational cooperation, increase the number of exchange students, and improve the performance of cooperatively run schools. We should develop the Belt and Road Studies Network and the Belt and Road News Alliance. We should cooperate more in protecting historical and cultural heritage, providing foreign aid in cultural relics protection, and promoting joint archaeological activities and exchanges between museums. We should jointly develop tourist products with distinctive Silk Road features. We should enhance exchanges between political parties, NGOs, women and youth to promote inclusive development. During the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, China will launch a cooperation initiative on "Accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals for Children through Shared Development" in B&R countries with the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF). Civil society organizations in China will start the "Silk Road Community Building" program to promote cooperation between civil society organizations in all B&R countries to improve people's lives. China will continue to provide affordable support and assistance to other developing countries under the initiative.
7. A road of clean government
Clean government is the moral principle and the legal red line that we should never cross in Belt and Road cooperation. All participating countries should work together to foster a modern business environment which is corruption-free and efficient, strengthen supervision and management and control risk in Belt and Road projects, and create a public resource market which is procedure-based and transparent. During the tendering, construction, and operational management of a project, we should abide by related laws and regulations, eliminate power rent-seeking, and establish sound market order. All B&R countries should enhance international exchanges and cooperation in fighting corruption. In accordance with the United Nations Convention Against Corruption and other international conventions and related bilateral treaties, we should create a closer and more convenient network for cooperation on judicial affairs and law enforcement, and facilitate the signing and fulfillment of bilateral extradition treaties and judicial assistance agreements. All countries should encourage their enterprises to strengthen self-discipline, establish rule-based managerial systems, foster an enterprise culture that values integrity, monitor corruption risks, and oppose commercial bribery.
Government, enterprises and the international community should work together to form cooperation mechanisms for denying the entry of corrupt officials and returning assets acquired through corruption. The three parties should make concerted efforts to cut chains of corruption and forge lines of defense against corruption.
China is willing to join all other countries in improving the legal systems and mechanisms to fight corruption, improving the business environment, and punishing commercial bribery. China will improve coordination with other B&R countries in anti-corruption laws and regulations, and enhance practical cooperation against corruption. China will increase anti-corruption training for Chinese enterprises going global, and tighten up their rule-based business operation and management. China is willing to work together with other participating countries to build the Belt and Road into a road of clean government.
The tides of world development roll on. The Belt and Road Initiative mirrors the general trend of history. The values and development concepts manifested in the initiative fulfill the demands of human society to form a global community of shared future. They meet the expectations of all peoples in the participating countries to share development opportunities and live a better life. Undoubtedly, as time moves on, Belt and Road cooperation will show greater vitality and creativity. With master plans and concrete measures in place, Belt and Road cooperation will reap long-term benefits as we persevere in our efforts toward higher-quality and higher-level development. The Belt and Road Initiative will help build a world of lasting peace, a world of common security and prosperity, an open and inclusive world, and a clean and beautiful world, making a greater contribution to building a global community of shared future.
