On the morning of October 18, 2023, President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) at the Great Hall of the People and delivered a keynote speech entitled "Building an Open, Inclusive and Interconnected World For Common Development". Xi Jinping announced eight major steps China will take to support the joint pursuit of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and stressed that China will work with all parties involved to deepen Belt and Road partnerships of cooperation, usher this cooperation into a new stage of high-quality development, and make relentless efforts to achieve modernization for all countries.

In this golden autumn with clear sky, refreshing air and bright sunshine, the national flags of Belt and Road partner countries fluttered in the breeze at the Tian'anmen Square, creating a brilliant and harmonious scene.

Foreign heads of state and government, heads of international organizations and other foreign dignitaries attending the BRF arrived in succession. "Fruitful Results of Belt and Road Projects in the Past Golden Decade" were displayed on the large screens on both sides of the East Gate Hall of the Great Hall of the People.

Xi Jinping and foreign leaders attending the opening ceremony took a group photo.

Accompanied by the music of "Peace - a Community with a Shared Future", Xi Jinping and foreign leaders entered the venue together. The entire audience stood up to warmly welcome them.

President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech entitled "Building an Open, Inclusive and Interconnected World For Common Development".

Xi Jinping pointed out that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) he proposed. The BRI, drawing inspiration from the ancient Silk Road and focusing on enhancing connectivity, aims to enhance policy, infrastructure, trade, financial and people-to-people connectivity, inject new impetus into the global economy, create new opportunities for global development, and build a new platform for international economic cooperation.

Xi Jinping said, "Over these 10 years, we have stayed committed to this founding mission. Thanks to our joint efforts, Belt and Road international cooperation has gotten off the ground, grown rapidly and produced fruitful outcomes." Belt and Road cooperation has extended from the Eurasian continent to Africa and Latin America. More than 150 countries and over 30 international organizations have signed Belt and Road cooperation documents. Over 20 specialized multilateral cooperation platforms under the BRI have been established. A large number of signature projects and ‘small yet smart’ people-centered programs have been launched. Important guiding principles for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation have been laid down, which include the principle of ‘planning together, building together, and benefiting together’, the philosophy of open, green and clean cooperation, and the goal of pursuing high-standard, people-centered and sustainable cooperation. Xi Jinping said, "Over these 10 years, we have endeavored to build a global network of connectivity consisting of economic corridors, international transportation routes and information highway as well as railways, roads, airports, ports, pipelines and power grids. Covering the land, the ocean, the sky and the Internet, this network has boosted the flow of goods, capital, technologies and human resources among countries involved and injected fresh vitality into the millennia-old Silk Road in the new era. Belt and Road cooperation is based on the principle of 'planning together, building together, and benefiting together'. It transcends differences between civilizations, cultures, social systems, and stages of development. It has opened up a new path for exchanges among countries, and established a new framework for international cooperation. The BRI represents humanity's joint pursuit of development for all."

Xi Jinping stressed, "Our achievements in the past decade are truly remarkable, and there is so much we can draw from them. We have learned that humankind is a community with a shared future. China can only do well when the world is doing well. When China does well, the world will get even better. Through Belt and Road cooperation, China is opening its door even wider to the world. China's market has become even more closely integrated with the global market. We have learned that win-win cooperation is the sure way to success in launching major initiatives that benefit all. When countries embrace cooperation and act in concert, a deep chasm can be turned into a thoroughfare, land-locked countries can become land-linked, and a place of underdevelopment can be transformed into a land of prosperity. We have learned that the Silk Road spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit is the most important source of strength for Belt and Road cooperation. Belt and Road cooperation is based on the belief that flame runs high when everyone adds wood to the fire and that mutual support can get us far. Such cooperation seeks to deliver a good life not only to people of just one country, but to people in other countries as well. It promotes connectivity, mutual benefit, common development, cooperation and win-win outcomes. Ideological confrontation, geopolitical rivalry and bloc politics are not a choice for us. What we stand against are unilateral sanctions, economic coercion and decoupling and supply chain disruption. What has been achieved in the past 10 years demonstrates that Belt and Road cooperation is on the right side of history. It represents the advancing of our times, and it is the right path forward. We need to remain clear-eyed and undisturbed in a volatile world, and we need to be keenly aware of our responsibility for history, for the people and for the world. We should jointly address various global risks and challenges, and deliver a bright future of peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit for future generations."

Xi Jinping pointed out, "China is endeavoring to build itself into a stronger country and rejuvenate the Chinese nation on all fronts by pursuing Chinese modernization. The modernization we are pursuing is not for China alone, but for all developing countries through our joint efforts. Global modernization should be pursued to enhance peaceful development and mutually beneficial cooperation and bring prosperity to all. China will work with all parties involved to deepen Belt and Road partnerships of cooperation, usher this cooperation into a new stage of high-quality development, and make relentless efforts to achieve modernization for all countries."

Xi Jinping announced eight major steps China will take to support the joint pursuit of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

First, building a multidimensional Belt and Road connectivity network. China will speed up high-quality development of the China-Europe Railway Express, participate in the trans-Caspian international transportation corridor, host the China-Europe Railway Express Cooperation Forum, and make joint efforts to build a new logistics corridor across the Eurasian continent linked by direct railway and road transportation. China will vigorously integrate ports, shipping and trading services under the "Silk Road Maritime", and accelerate the building of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and the Air Silk Road.

Second, supporting an open world economy. China will establish pilot zones for Silk Road e-commerce cooperation, enter into free trade agreements and investment protection treaties with more countries. China will remove all restrictions on foreign investment access in the manufacturing sector. In light of international high-standard economic and trade rules, China will further advance high-standard opening up in cross-border service trade and investment, expand market access for digital and other products, and deepen reform in areas including the state-owned enterprises, digital economy, intellectual property and government procurement. China will hold the Global Digital Trade Expo annually.

Third, carrying out practical cooperation. China will promote both signature projects and "small yet smart" livelihood programs. The China Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China will each set up a RMB financing window. An additional amount will be injected into the Silk Road Fund. Together, they will support BRI projects on the basis of market and business operation. China will carry out 1,000 small-scale livelihood assistance projects, and enhance vocational education cooperation through Luban Workshops and other initiatives. China will also step up joint efforts to ensure the safety of BRI projects and personnel.

Fourth, promoting green development. China will continue to deepen cooperation in areas such as green infrastructure, green energy and green transportation, and step up support for the BRI International Green Development Coalition. China will continue to hold the BRI Green Innovation Conference, and establish dialogue and exchange mechanisms for the solar industry and a network of experts on green and low-carbon development. China will implement the Green Investment Principles for the Belt and Road, and provide 100,000 training opportunities for partner countries by 2030.

Fifth, advancing scientific and technological innovation. China will continue to implement the Belt and Road Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation Action Plan, hold the first Belt and Road Conference on Science and Technology Exchange, increase the number of joint laboratories built with other parties to 100 in the next five years, and support young scientists from other countries to work on short-term programs in China. At this Forum, China will put forward the Global Initiative for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Governance. China stands ready to increase exchanges and dialogue with other countries and jointly promote the sound, orderly and secure AI development in the world.

Sixth, supporting people-to-people exchanges. China will host the Liangzhu Forum to enhance dialogue on civilizations with BRI partner countries. In addition to the Silk Road International League of Theaters, the Silk Road International Arts Festival, the International Alliance of Museums of the Silk Road, the Silk Road International Alliance of Art Museums, and the Silk Road International Library Alliance that have been set up, China has also launched the International Tourism Alliance of Silk Road Cities. And China will continue with the Chinese government scholarship Silk Road Program.

Seventh, promoting integrity-based Belt and Road cooperation. Together with its cooperation partners, China will release the Achievements and Prospects of Belt and Road Integrity Building and the High-Level Principles on Belt and Road Integrity Building, and establish the Integrity and Compliance Evaluation System for Companies Involved in Belt and Road Cooperation. China will also work with international organizations to carry out research and training on promoting integrity in Belt and Road cooperation.

Eighth, strengthening institutional building for international Belt and Road cooperation. China will work with its BRI partner countries to strengthen the building of multilateral cooperation platforms covering energy, taxation, finance, green development, disaster reduction, anti-corruption, think tank, media, culture and other fields. China will continue to host the BRF and establish a secretariat for the Forum.

Xi Jinping concluded, "Belt and Road cooperation was proposed by China, but its benefits and opportunities are for the world to share. Let us meet the expectations of the people, assume responsibilities entrusted on us by history, closely follow the trend of the times, and press ahead with energy and enterprise. Let us deepen Belt and Road international cooperation, and bring Belt and Road cooperation to a new stage of higher-quality and higher-level development. Let us advance modernization of all countries, build an open, inclusive and interconnected world for common development, and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind."

Heads of state and government and senior representatives from more than 20 countries, such as President of Argentina Alberto Fernández, President of Chile Gabriel Boric, President of the Republic of Congo Denis Sassou-N'Guesso, President of Indonesia Joko Widodo, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kenya William Ruto, President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, President of Russia Vladimir Putin, President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić, President of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe, the National Leader of the Turkmen people and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Vietnam Vo Van Thuong, Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Egypt Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed Ali, Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister of Mozambique Adriano Afonso Maleiane, Prime Minister of Pakistan Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea James Marape, Prime Minister of Thailand Srettha Thavisin, Vice President of Nigeria Kashim Shettima, Special Representative of the President and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Special Representative of the President and former Prime Minister of France Jean-Pierre Raffarin, and Senior Representative of the Prime Minister and Minister of Development of Greece Kostas Skrekas, as well as heads of international organizations, including United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and President of the New Development Bank Dilma Rousseff, were present at the opening ceremony.

Vladimir Putin, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Joko Widodo, Alberto Fernández, Abiy Ahmed Ali and António Guterres also delivered speeches at the opening ceremony.

Ding Xuexiang presided over the opening ceremony.

Cai Qi, Wang Yi, Yin Li, He Lifeng and Wang Xiaohong, among others, were present.