Podcasts about silk road economic belt

China's “Belt and Road Initiative” is a multi-trillion dollar global infrastructure project that harkens back to its original Silk Road roots to connect the regions of the world into a massive trade network. The project is currently underway and is expected to be completed in the middle part of the century, but the project isn't without controversy. The two-pronged approach features the Silk Road Economic Belt which connects countries and regions through road and rail projects and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road which connects China to ports in SE Asia, South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. Can China pull off the most ambitious construction project in the history of the world, or is it simply a covert way of enslaving unsuspecting countries into a devious debt trap laid by the CCP? The Octopus of Global Control Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3xu0rMm Hypocrazy Audiobook: https://amzn.to/4aogwms Website: www.Macroaggressions.io Activist Post: www.activistpost.com Sponsors: Chemical Free Body: https://www.chemicalfreebody.com Promo Code: MACRO C60 Purple Power: https://c60purplepower.com/ Promo Code: MACRO Wise Wolf Gold & Silver: www.Macroaggressions.gold LegalShield: www.DontGetPushedAround.com EMP Shield: www.EMPShield.com Promo Code: MACRO ECI Development: https://info.ecidevelopment.com/-get-to-know-us/macro-aggressions Christian Yordanov's Health Transformation Program: www.LiveLongerFormula.com Privacy Academy: https://privacyacademy.com/step/privacy-action-plan-checkout-2/?ref=5620 Brain Supreme: www.BrainSupreme.co Promo Code: MACRO Above Phone: http://abovephone.com/?above=macro Promo Code: MACRO Van Man: www.VanMan.shop Promo Code: MACRO Activist Post: www.ActivistPost.com Natural Blaze: www.NaturalBlaze.com Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/macroaggressionspodcast

President Xi Jinping said he looks forward to meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to plan the way forward for closer China-Kazakhstan cooperation and draw a new blueprint for the further growth of bilateral relations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.Xi, who began a state visit to the Central Asian country on Tuesday, made the remark in a signed article published on the same day in the Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspaper and by the Kazinform International News Agency.Having made four visits to Kazakhstan as Chinese president, Xi said the country's enchanting land, splendid and distinctive culture and vast and magnificent landscape, as well as its nice and friendly people, have been most impressive.In the article, titled "Staying True to Our Shared Commitment and Opening a New Chapter in China-Kazakhstan Relations", Xi said that, on his fifth visit, he expects to experience firsthand the new progress and new changes that have been made in Kazakhstan.It was in Kazakhstan 11 years ago that Xi proposed the initiative of the Silk Road Economic Belt, which was warmly received by people from different sectors in Kazakhstan."This marked a magnificent chapter in Belt and Road cooperation between our two countries. And the development of China-Kazakhstan relations has since entered a new stage," he said.Noting that China and Kazakhstan have always supported each other and have always been partners in times of challenge, Xi said such unbreakable mutual trust and support are invaluable, forming the strongest political cornerstone that underpins bilateral cooperation.The two nations have achieved new success in results-oriented cooperation and witnessed a new upsurge in people-to-people and cultural exchanges, he said, adding that Sino-Kazakh coordination and collaboration at the international level have also achieved new and tangible results.Last year, two-way trade registered a record high of $41 billion. China is now Kazakhstan's largest trading partner and its top export destination."China and Kazakhstan can and will accomplish a great deal in bilateral cooperation in the years to come. I hope my visit will help renew our traditional friendship and deepen the all-around cooperation between our countries," he said.Xi called on the two countries to further consolidate their political tradition of mutual support, and stay committed to the golden rule of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation.He also stressed the need to strengthen public support for an everlasting China-Kazakhstan friendship, and be responsive to the accelerated changes on a scale unseen in a century that are unfolding across the world.Besides the state visit, another important item on Xi's agenda in Kazakhstan is to attend the SCO summit.Xi said that China highly commends the successful and fruitful work that Kazakhstan has done in its capacity as the SCO chair to grow the influence of the organization."I have no doubt that the SCO Astana Summit will be a great success through concerted efforts of all parties and will help rally the SCO family closer and open up new prospects for SCO cooperation," he said.Reporter: Mo Jingxi

Ancient Chinese navigator Zheng He set sail from Jiangsu, which sits at the intersection of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. From ancient times to the present, what efforts has Jiangsu made in connecting China to the world? China Daily reporter Peng Yixuan and her friends explore Jiangsu to find the answers.

When President Xi Jinping presented his vision 10 years ago for the Silk Road Economic Belt, few might have imagined the global implications of the policy address, delivered to faculty and students at Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan.In the eyes of many analysts, the speech marked a historic starting point to reshape the global economic landscape, heralding changes leading to infrastructure connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration and closer people-to-people ties.A month later, during a speech to the Indonesian Parliament, the Chinese president expounded his vision for the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which, together with the Silk Road Economic Belt, became known as the Belt and Road Initiative.Ten years on, Xi is set to host representatives from over 140 countries and 30 international organizations at the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on Tuesday and Wednesday in Beijing.Regarding the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, Tatiana Urzhuvtseva, former director of the research center of China and the Pacific Rim at St. Petersburg State University of Economics, said, "Looking back, one cannot but feel assured that those were truly historic initiatives in favor of goodwill cooperation between nations."Urzhuvtseva, who is now head of the Russian Culture Center in Beijing, said the personal role of President Xi in leading the development of the BRI cannot be overstated.Xu Xiujun, director of the International Political Economy Department of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of World Economics and Politics, said the Chinese president has personally planned and promoted the BRI's transition into a new stage of high-quality development.Through his intense diplomatic agenda, Xi, on bilateral and multilateral occasions, has promoted high-level policy coordination and strategic alignment, created a favorable international environment and established a solid political foundation for the steady and long-term development of the BRI, Xu said.Over the past decade, more than 150 countries and over 30 international organizations have joined the BRI family, with many agreements inked during bilateral meetings attended by the Chinese president.The BRI has taken much-anticipated infrastructure projects from vision to reality in much of the developing world, ranging from bridges, highways and railways to hospitals and sports stadiums. It has created 420,000 jobs for participating countries and lifted about 40 million people out of poverty.The China-Laos Railway, for instance, has employed over 3,500 Laotian workers and created more than 100,000 jobs through its impact on logistics, transportation, trade, commerce and tourism.Charles Okechukwu Onunaiju, director of the Center for China Studies in Nigeria, said that through participation in the Belt and Road, key projects including highways, ports and energy infrastructure are remarkably taking shape in West Africa."The BRI is the concentrated expression of globalization in its broadest sense of accommodation, inclusion and participation, and it carries Africa's fervent historic wish and will," he said. "In the past 10 years, Africa has witnessed the most impactful revolution in infrastructure construction and facilities connectivity."President Xi hosted global leaders at the first Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing in 2017, and at the second Belt and Road Forum in 2019 in Beijing, both times delivering speeches that outlined the future road map for BRI cooperation.The BRI has also been a priority of Xi's domestic agenda, with the president having chaired high-level symposiums three times on promoting the high-quality development of the landmark initiative.Hu Biliang, executive dean of the Belt and Road School at Beijing Normal University, said the BRI has led the way for China's greater strides in opening-up and emerged as a key part of the national drive to foster a new development paradigm.According to a white paper released earlier this month, the cumulative value of imports and exports between China and BRI partner countries reached $19.1 trillion, with an average annual growth rate of 6.4 percent.Building a better regional connectivity network will inject new momentum into the development of a more open and in-depth partnership between China and other countries participating in the BRI, Hu said.Silk Road Economic Beltn.丝绸之路经济带21st Century Maritime Silk Roadn.21世纪海上丝绸之路Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperationn.“一带一路”国际合作高峰论坛China-Laos Railwayn.中老铁路

The impressive facts and figures in the encompassing policy document unveiled by China on Tuesday on the 10-year-old Belt and Road Initiative are a convincing illustration of the vast and tangible results achieved by the nation and its partners, and highlight the potential for the landmark vision's further growth, experts said.They made these observations as the State Council Information Office held a news conference in Beijing to issue a white paper titled "The Belt and Road Initiative: A Key Pillar of the Global Community of Shared Future".In September and October of 2013, President Xi Jinping proposed the initiatives of jointly building a Silk Road Economic Belt and a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which became known as the Belt and Road Initiative.Over the past decade, the BRI has "helped to resolve global development challenges and improve the global governance system", and "has also opened up a new path for all humanity to realize modernization", the white paper said.Noting that the BRI is "a public road open to all, not a private path owned by any single party", the document said the vision "is free from geopolitical calculations"."Countries from Eurasia, Africa, the Americas, and Oceania are all welcome to participate in the initiative, regardless of their political system, historical background, culture, development stage, ideology, or religious beliefs, as long as they seek common development," it said.Cong Liang, vice-chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, noted that China's total imports and exports with countries involved in the BRI reached $19.1 trillion in the 2013-22 period, registering an average annual growth rate of 6.4 percent.Speaking on the overall progress of the initiative, he noted that more than 150 countries and 30 international organizations have so far joined the BRI family.Over the past decade, the countries' efforts to jointly build the Belt and Road "have fully realized the shift from a concept to actions, and from a vision to reality".Guo Tingting, vice-minister of commerce, noted that two-way investment between China and other countries involved in the BRI totaled more than $380 billion between 2013 and 2022, among which China's outward direct investment exceeded $240 billion.These countries "have also actively invested in China and shared China's development opportunities, with a cumulative total of more than $140 billion invested in China over the past decade and close to 67,000 new enterprises set up in China", she said.Wang Yiwei, a professor at the School of International Studies and director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University of China, said that over the past 10 years, "the BRI has found the key to spur economic growth, as it catalyzes infrastructure construction, the reshaping of production chains, and negotiations on investment and trade facilitation"."Advancing poverty relief, narrowing wealth disparity and boosting effective global governance are the three major effects of the BRI's focus on infrastructure and connectivity," he said.Highlighting fruitful outcomes achieved within the BRI framework, Xu Xiujun, director of the International Political Economy Department of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of World Economics and Politics, said the initiative "has listed producing tangible benefits for the peoples in countries taking part in the BRI as one of its major goals, and their sense of gain has indeed been constantly on the rise and increasingly self-evident".He noted that as the vision has entered the stage of seeking high-quality development, it should work for more coordinated growth in connectivity among hardware and software.Beijing is set to host the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation later this month, an event that will provide a venue for a wide range of highly anticipated bilateral and multilateral diplomacy.Representatives from over 130 countries and more than 30 international organizations have confirmed their plans to attend the forum, Li Kexin, director-general of the Foreign Ministry's Department of International Economic Affairs, told reporters. China has so far held major gatherings on the BRI in 2017 and 2019.The upcoming forum "is not only the grandest event to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the BRI, but also an important platform for discussing BRI cooperation", Li said, adding that the forum's detailed schedule will be released in due course.China is ready to take the upcoming forum as an opportunity to make new achievements in high-quality co-building of the Belt and Road, he added.Reporter: Zhang Yunbi

Democracy in Question? is brought to you by:• Central European University: CEU• The Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy in Geneva: AHCD• The Podcast Company: scopeaudio Follow us on social media!• Central European University: @CEU• Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy in Geneva: @AHDCentre Subscribe to the show. If you enjoyed what you listened to, you can support us by leaving a review and sharing our podcast in your networks!  GlossaryBelt and Road Initiative (BRI)(04:10 or p.1 in the transcript)China's Belt and Road Initiative is a strategy initiated by the People's Republic of China that seeks to connect Asia with Africa and Europe via land and maritime networks with the aim of improving regional integration, increasing trade and stimulating economic growth. The name was coined in 2013 by China's President Xi Jinping, who drew inspiration from the concept of the Silk Road established during the Han Dynasty 2,000 years ago – an ancient network of trade routes that connected China to the Mediterranean via Eurasia for centuries. The BRI has also been referred to in the past as 'One Belt One Road'. The BRI comprises a Silk Road Economic Belt – a trans-continental passage that links China with southeast Asia, south Asia, Central Asia, Russia and Europe by land – and a 21st century Maritime Silk Road, a sea route connecting China's coastal regions with south east and south Asia, the South Pacific, the Middle East and Eastern Africa, all the way to Europe. The initiative defines five major priorities: policy coordination; infrastructure connectivity; unimpeded trade; financial integration; and connecting people. The BRI has been associated with a very large programme of investments in infrastructure development for ports, roads, railways and airports, as well as power plants and telecommunications networks. Since 2019, Chinese state-led BRI lending volumes have been in decline. The BRI now places increasing emphasis on “high quality investment”, including through greater use of project finance, risk mitigation tools, and green finance. The BRI is an increasingly important umbrella mechanism for China's bilateral trade with BRI partners: as of March 2020, the number of countries that have joined the Belt and Road Initiative by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China is 138. source BRICS(04:41 or p.2 in the transcript)"BRICS" is the acronym denoting the emerging national economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The term was originally coined in 2001 as "BRIC" by the Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill in his report, Building Better Global Economic BRICs (Global Economics Paper No: 66). At that time, the economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China experienced significant growth, raising concerns regarding their impact on the global economy. Foreign ministers of these countries began meeting informally in 2006, which led to more formal annual summits beginning in 2009. Generally speaking, these meetings are held to improve economic conditions within BRICS countries and give their leaders the opportunity to work in collaboration regarding these efforts. In December of 2010, South Africa joined the informal group and changed the acronym to BRICS. Together these emerging markets represent 42% of the world population and account for over 31% of the world's GDP according to the World Factbook. According to the 2023 summit chair South Africa, over 40 nations were interested in joining the economic forum for the benefits membership would provide including development finance and increase in trade and investment. At the conclusion of the summit, it was announced that Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates will become new members of BRICS starting in 2024. source Global Gateway (25:52 or p.7 in the transcript)Global Gateway is a new European strategy to boost smart, clean and secure links in digital, energy and transport sectors and to strengthen health, education and research systems across the world. The European Commission and the EU High Representative launched it in 2021. Global Gateway aims to mobilise up to €300 billion in investments through a Team Europe approach, bringing together the EU, its Member States and their financial and development institutions. It seeks a transformational impact in the digital, climate and energy, transport, health, and education and research sectors. The focus is on smart investments in quality infrastructure, respecting the highest social and environmental standards, in line with the EU's interests and values: rule of law, human rights and international norms and standards. 6 core principles are at the heart of Global Gateway, guiding the investments: democratic values and high standards; good governance and transparency; equal partnerships; green and clean; security focused; catalysing the private sector. Global Gateway is the EU's contribution to narrowing the global investment gap worldwide. It is in line with the commitment of the G7 leaders from June 2021 to launch a values-driven, high-standard and transparent infrastructure partnership to meet global infrastructure development needs. Global Gateway is also fully aligned with the UN's Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the Paris Agreement on climate change. source  

携手建设守望相助、共同发展、普遍安全、世代友好的中国－中亚命运共同体Working Together for a China-Central Asia Community with a Shared Future Featuring Mutual Assistance, Common Development, Universal Security, and Everlasting Friendship ——在中国－中亚峰会上的主旨讲话（2023年5月19日） 中华人民共和国主席 习近平 Keynote Speech by H.E. Xi Jinping President of the People's Republic of China At the China-Central Asia Summit 19 May 2023尊敬的各位同事，女士们，先生们，朋友们：Distinguished Colleagues,Ladies and Gentlemen,Friends,欢迎大家来到西安，出席中国－中亚峰会，共商中国同中亚五国合作大计。I'd like to welcome you all to Xi'an for the China-Central Asia Summit to explore together ways for closer cooperation between China and the five Central Asian countries. 西安古称长安，是中华文明和中华民族的重要发祥地之一，也是古丝绸之路的东方起点。2100多年前，中国汉代使者张骞自长安出发，出使西域，打开了中国同中亚友好交往的大门。千百年来，中国同中亚各族人民一道推动了丝绸之路的兴起和繁荣，为世界文明交流交融、丰富发展作出了历史性贡献。中国唐代诗人李白曾有过“长安复携手，再顾重千金”的诗句。今天我们在西安相聚，续写千年友谊，开辟崭新未来，具有十分重要的意义。Xi'an, known as Chang'an in ancient times, is an important cradle of the Chinese civilization and nation. It is also the starting point of the ancient Silk Road on the east end. Over 2,100 years ago, Zhang Qian, a Han Dynasty envoy, made his journey to the West from Chang'an, opening the door to the friendship and exchanges between China and Central Asia. With their joint endeavor of hundreds of years, Chinese and Central Asian peoples made the Silk Road expand and prosper, a historic contribution to the interaction, integration, enrichment and development of world civilizations. The Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai (701-761) once wrote, “In Chang'an we meet again, worthy of more than a thousand pieces of gold.” Our gathering in Xi'an today to renew our millennia-old friendship and open up new vistas for the future is of very important significance.2013年，我担任中国国家主席后首次出访中亚，提出共建“丝绸之路经济带”倡议。10年来，中国同中亚国家携手推动丝绸之路全面复兴，倾力打造面向未来的深度合作，将双方关系带入一个崭新时代。Back in 2013, I put forward the initiative of jointly building a Silk Road Economic Belt during my first visit to Central Asia as Chinese president. Over the past decade, China and Central Asian countries have worked closely together to fully revive the Silk Road and actively deepen future-oriented cooperation, steering our relations into a new era.横跨天山的中吉乌公路，征服帕米尔高原的中塔公路，穿越茫茫大漠的中哈原油管道、中国－中亚天然气管道，就是当代的“丝路”；日夜兼程的中欧班列，不绝于途的货运汽车，往来不歇的空中航班，就是当代的“驼队”；寻觅商机的企业家，抗击新冠疫情的医护人员，传递友谊之声的文化工作者，上下求索的留学生，就是当代的友好使者。The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan highway that runs across the Tianshan Mountain, the China-Tajikistan expressway that defies the Pamir Plateau, and the China-Kazakhstan crude oil pipeline and the China-Central Asia Gas Pipeline that traverse the vast desert — they are the present-day Silk Road. The China-Europe Railway Express operating around the clock, the endless streams of freight trucks, and crisscrossing flights — they are the present-day camel caravans. Entrepreneurs seeking business opportunities, health workers fighting the COVID-19, cultural workers delivering message of friendship, and international students pursuing further education — they are the present-day goodwill ambassadors.中国同中亚国家关系有着深厚的历史渊源、广泛的现实需求、坚实的民意基础，在新时代焕发出勃勃生机和旺盛活力。The China-Central Asia relationship is steeped in history, driven by broad actual needs, and built on solid popular support. Our relations are brimming with vigor and vitality in the new era.各位同事！Colleagues,当前，百年变局加速演进，世界之变、时代之变、历史之变正以前所未有的方式展开。中亚是亚欧大陆的中心，处在联通东西、贯穿南北的十字路口。Transformations of the world unseen in a century are unfolding at a faster pace. Changes of the world, of our times, and of the historical trajectory are taking place in ways like never before. Central Asia, the center of the Eurasian continent, is at a crossroads connecting the East and West, the South and North. 世界需要一个稳定的中亚。中亚国家主权、安全、独立、领土完整必须得到维护，中亚人民自主选择的发展道路必须得到尊重，中亚地区致力于和平、和睦、安宁的努力必须得到支持。The world needs a stable Central Asia. The sovereignty, security, independence and territorial integrity of Central Asian countries must be upheld; their people's choice of development paths must be respected; and their efforts for peace, harmony and tranquility must be supported.世界需要一个繁荣的中亚。一个充满活力、蒸蒸日上的中亚，将实现地区各国人民对美好生活的向往，也将为世界经济复苏发展注入强劲动力。The world needs a prosperous Central Asia. A dynamic and prospering Central Asia will help people in the region achieve their aspiration for a better life. It will also lend strong impetus to global economic recovery.世界需要一个和谐的中亚。“兄弟情谊胜过一切财富”。民族冲突、宗教纷争、文化隔阂不是中亚的主调，团结、包容、和睦才是中亚人民的追求。任何人都无权在中亚制造不和、对立，更不应该从中谋取政治私利。The world needs a harmonious Central Asia. As a Central Asian saying goes, “Brotherhood is more precious than any treasure.” Ethnic conflicts, religious strife, and cultural estrangement are not the defining feature of the region. Instead, solidarity, inclusiveness, and harmony are the pursuits of the Central Asian people. No one has the right to sow discord or stoke confrontation in the region, let alone seek selfish political interests.世界需要一个联通的中亚。中亚拥有得天独厚的地理优势，有基础、有条件、有能力成为亚欧大陆重要的互联互通枢纽，为世界商品交换、文明交流、科技发展作出中亚贡献。The world needs an interconnected Central Asia. Blessed with unique geographical advantages, Central Asia has the right foundation, condition and capability to become an important connectivity hub of Eurasia and make unique contribution to the trading of goods, the interplay of civilizations and the development of science and technology in the world.各位同事！Colleagues,去年，我们举行庆祝中国同中亚五国建交30周年视频峰会时，共同宣布建设中国－中亚命运共同体。这是我们在新的时代背景下，着眼各国人民根本利益和光明未来，作出的历史性选择。建设中国－中亚命运共同体，要做到四个坚持。At the virtual summit commemorating the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Central Asian countries held last year, we jointly announced our vision of a China-Central Asia community with a shared future. It was a historic choice made for the fundamental interests and bright future of our peoples in the new era. In building this community, we need to stay committed to four principles.一是坚持守望相助。我们要深化战略互信，在涉及主权、独立、民族尊严、长远发展等核心利益问题上，始终给予彼此明确、有力支持，携手建设一个守望相助、团结互信的共同体。First, mutual assistance. It is important that we deepen strategic mutual trust, and always give each other unequivocal and strong support on issues concerning our core interests such as sovereignty, independence, national dignity, and long-term development. We should work together to ensure that our community features mutual assistance, solidarity, and mutual trust.二是坚持共同发展。我们要继续在共建“一带一路”合作方面走在前列，推动落实全球发展倡议，充分释放经贸、产能、能源、交通等传统合作潜力，打造金融、农业、减贫、绿色低碳、医疗卫生、数字创新等新增长点，携手建设一个合作共赢、相互成就的共同体。Second, common development. It is important that we continue to set the pace for Belt and Road cooperation and deliver on the Global Development Initiative. We should fully unlock our potentials in traditional areas of cooperation such as economy, trade, industrial capacity, energy and transportation. And we should forge new drivers of growth in finance, agriculture, poverty reduction, green and low-carbon development, medical service, health, and digital innovation. We should work together to ensure that our community features win-win cooperation and common progress.三是坚持普遍安全。我们要共同践行全球安全倡议，坚决反对外部势力干涉地区国家内政、策动“颜色革命”，保持对“三股势力”零容忍，着力破解地区安全困境，携手建设一个远离冲突、永沐和平的共同体。Third, universal security. It is important that we act on the Global Security Initiative, and stand firm against external attempts to interfere in domestic affairs of regional countries or instigate color revolutions. We should remain zero-tolerant to the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and strive to resolve security conundrums in the region. We should work together to ensure that our community features no-conflict and enduring peace.四是坚持世代友好。我们要践行全球文明倡议，赓续传统友谊，密切人员往来，加强治国理政经验交流，深化文明互鉴，增进相互理解，筑牢中国同中亚国家人民世代友好的基石，携手建设一个相知相亲、同心同德的共同体。Fourth, everlasting friendship. It is important that we implement the Global Civilization Initiative, carry forward our traditional friendship, and enhance people-to-people exchanges. We should do more to share our experience in governance, deepen cultural mutual learning, increase mutual understanding, and cement the foundation of the everlasting friendship between the Chinese and Central Asian peoples. We should work together to ensure that our community features close affinity and shared conviction.各位同事！Colleagues,这次峰会为中国同中亚合作搭建了新平台，开辟了新前景。中方愿以举办这次峰会为契机，同各方密切配合，将中国－中亚合作规划好、建设好、发展好。Our Summit has created a new platform and opened up new prospects for China-Central Asia cooperation. China will take this as an opportunity to step up coordination with all parties for good planning, development and progress of China-Central Asia cooperation.一是加强机制建设。我们已经成立外交、经贸、海关等会晤机制和实业家委员会。中方还倡议成立产业与投资、农业、交通、应急管理、教育、政党等领域会晤和对话机制，为各国开展全方位互利合作搭建广泛平台。First, we need to strengthen institutional building. We have set up meeting mechanisms on foreign affairs, economy, trade and customs, as well as a business council. China has also proposed establishment of meeting and dialogue mechanisms on industry and investment, agriculture, transportation, emergency response, education, and political parties, which will be platforms for all-round mutually beneficial cooperation between our countries.二是拓展经贸关系。中方将出台更多贸易便利化举措，升级双边投资协定，实现双方边境口岸农副产品快速通关“绿色通道”全覆盖，举办“聚合中亚云品”主题活动，打造大宗商品交易中心，推动贸易规模迈上新台阶。Second, we need to expand economic and trade ties. China will take more trade facilitation measures, upgrade bilateral investment treaties, and open “green lanes” for streamlined customs clearance of agricultural and sideline products at all border ports between China and Central Asian countries. China will also hold a live-streaming sales event to further promote Central Asian products, and build a commodities trading center. All this is part of an effort to push two-way trade to new heights.三是深化互联互通。中方将全面提升跨境运输过货量，支持跨里海国际运输走廊建设，提升中吉乌、中塔乌公路通行能力，推进中吉乌铁路项目对接磋商。加快现有口岸现代化改造，增开别迭里口岸，大力推进航空运输市场开放，发展地区物流网络。加强中欧班列集结中心建设，鼓励优势企业在中亚国家建设海外仓，构建综合数字服务平台。Third, we need to deepen connectivity. China will strive to increase the volume of cross-border cargo transportation, support the development of the trans-Caspian international transport corridor, enhance the traffic capacity of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan highway and the China-Tajikistan-Uzbekistan highway, and move forward consultations on the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway. China will seek to modernize the existing border ports at a faster pace, open a new border port at Biedieli, promote the opening of the air transportation market, and build a regional logistics network. China will also step up the development of China-Europe Railway Express assembly centers, encourage capable enterprises to build overseas warehouses in Central Asian countries, and build a comprehensive digital service platform.四是扩大能源合作。中方倡议建立中国－中亚能源发展伙伴关系，加快推进中国－中亚天然气管道D线建设，扩大双方油气贸易规模，发展能源全产业链合作，加强新能源与和平利用核能合作。Fourth, we need to expand energy cooperation. China would like to propose that we establish a China-Central Asia energy development partnership. We should expedite the construction of Line D of the China-Central Asia Gas Pipeline, expand trade in oil and gas, pursue cooperation throughout the energy industrial chains, and strengthen cooperation on new energy and peaceful use of nuclear energy.五是推进绿色创新。中方愿同中亚国家在盐碱地治理开发、节水灌溉等领域开展合作，共同建设旱区农业联合实验室，推动解决咸海生态危机，支持在中亚建立高技术企业、信息技术产业园。中方欢迎中亚国家参与可持续发展技术、创新创业、空间信息科技等“一带一路”专项合作计划。Fifth, we need to promote green innovation. China will work with Central Asian countries to conduct cooperation in such areas as improvement and utilization of saline-alkali land and water-saving irrigation, build together a joint laboratory on agriculture in arid lands, and tackle the ecological crisis of the Aral Sea. China supports establishing high-tech firms and IT industrial parks in Central Asia. China also welcomes Central Asian countries to participate in special cooperation programs under the Belt and Road Initiative, including programs on sustainable development technologies, innovation and start-up, and spatial information science and technology.六是提升发展能力。中方将制定中国同中亚国家科技减贫专项合作计划，实施“中国－中亚技术技能提升计划”，在中亚国家设立更多鲁班工坊，鼓励在中亚的中资企业为当地提供更多就业机会。为助力中国同中亚国家合作和中亚国家自身发展，中方将向中亚国家提供总额260亿元人民币的融资支持和无偿援助。Sixth, we need to enhance capabilities for development. China will formulate a China-Central Asia special cooperation program for poverty reduction through science and technology, implement the “China-Central Asia technology and skills improvement scheme”, set up more Luban Workshops in Central Asian countries, and encourage Chinese companies in Central Asia to create more local jobs. To bolster our cooperation and Central Asian development, China will provide Central Asian countries with a total of 26 billion RMB yuan of financing support and grant.七是加强文明对话。中方邀请中亚国家参与“文化丝路”计划，将在中亚设立更多传统医学中心，加快互设文化中心，继续向中亚国家提供政府奖学金名额，支持中亚国家高校加入“丝绸之路大学联盟”，办好中国同中亚国家人民文化艺术年和中国－中亚媒体高端对话交流活动，推动开展“中国－中亚文化和旅游之都”评选活动、开行面向中亚的人文旅游专列。Seventh, we need to strengthen dialogue between civilizations. China invites Central Asian countries to take part in the “Cultural Silk Road” program, and will set up more traditional medicine centers in Central Asia. We will speed up establishment of cultural centers in each other's countries. China will continue to provide government scholarships for Central Asian countries, and support their universities in joining the University Alliance of the Silk Road. We will ensure the success of the Year of Culture and Arts for the Peoples of China and Central Asian Countries as well as the China-Central Asia high-level media dialogue. We will launch the “China-Central Asia Cultural and Tourism Capital” program, and open special train services for cultural tourism in Central Asia.八是维护地区和平。中方愿帮助中亚国家加强执法安全和防务能力建设，支持各国自主维护地区安全和反恐努力，开展网络安全合作。继续发挥阿富汗邻国协调机制作用，共同推动阿富汗和平重建。Eighth, we need to safeguard peace in the region. China is ready to help Central Asian countries strengthen capacity building on law enforcement, security and defense, support their independent efforts to safeguard regional security and fight terrorism, and work with them to promote cyber-security. We will continue to leverage the role of the coordination mechanism among Afghanistan's neighbors, and jointly promote peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan.各位同事！Colleagues,去年十月，中国共产党第二十次全国代表大会成功召开，明确了全面建成社会主义现代化强国、实现第二个百年奋斗目标、以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴的中心任务，绘就了中国未来发展的宏伟蓝图。我们愿同中亚国家加强现代化理念和实践交流，推进发展战略对接，为合作创造更多机遇，协力推动六国现代化进程。Last October, the Communist Party of China successfully held its 20th National Congress, which laid out the central task of realizing the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and advancing rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization. It is a grand blueprint for China's future development. We will strengthen theoretical and practical exchanges with Central Asian countries on modernization, synergize our development strategies, create more opportunities for cooperation, and jointly advance the modernization process of our six countries.各位同事！Colleagues,中国陕西有句农谚，“只要功夫深，土里出黄金”。中亚谚语也说，“付出就有回报，播种就能收获”。让我们携手并肩，团结奋斗，积极推进共同发展、共同富裕、共同繁荣，共同迎接六国更加美好的明天！There is a proverb popular among farmers in Shaanxi province, “If you work hard enough, gold will grow out of the land.” In the same vein, a Central Asian saying goes, “You get rewarded if you give, and you harvest if you sow.” Let us work closely together to pursue common development, common affluence, and common prosperity, and embrace a brighter future for our six countries!谢谢大家。Thank you.来源：新华社

The upcoming China-Central Asia Summit, to be chaired by President Xi Jinping, will further elevate ties between China and the five Central Asian countries, bring economic and trade cooperation to a higher level and deliver more tangible benefits to the people, officials and analysts said.Xi will chair the summit on May 18 and 19 in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying announced on Monday.The summit will bring together President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan, President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov of Turkmenistan, and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, she said.The gathering, one of the major diplomatic events to be hosted by China this year, will be a significant milestone in the history of ties between the two sides, Wang Wenbin, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, said at a news briefing on Monday.Xi will deliver an important speech at the summit, and the six heads of state will exchange views on the development of the China-Central Asia mechanism, cooperation in various sectors and major international and regional issues of common concern, he said.Key political documents will also be signed during the summit, he said. "It is our belief that under the joint efforts from various sides, the summit will draw up a new blueprint for China-Central Asia relations and usher in a new era for cooperation."Total trade volume between China and the five Central Asian countries reached a record $70 billion last year, according to the National Development and Reform Commission.Li Yongquan, head of the China Society for Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies, said China has always respected the five Central Asian countries' sovereignty, independence and their right to choose development paths suited to their own national conditions."China has always seen Central Asia as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, while the stability and development of the region is directly related to China's own development," Li said.Last year, Xi chaired a virtual summit in Beijing to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Central Asian countries, during which he announced a plan to provide grant assistance of $500 million to the countries to support livelihood programs.Xi also made Kazakhstan the destination of his first foreign trip since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, paying a state visit to the nation in September.Going forward, the building of an even closer community with a shared future between China and Central Asia will give fresh impetus to bilateral ties and contribute to the region's security, stability and development, said Li from the China Society for Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies.Zhao Huirong, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies, said that the elevation of the multilateral mechanism between China and the five countries indicated a new level of emphasis placed on the relationship."A summit between heads of state will help build a strong pillar for the building of a community with a shared future between the two sides and lead the way for the future growth of ties," she said.Central Asia is the place where Xi proposed the Silk Road Economic Belt, the forerunner of the Belt and Road Initiative. The region has also played pivotal roles in the BRI going global, Zhao added."The five nations are active participants and beneficiaries from the BRI, and we have reasons to believe that the summit will help scale up pragmatic cooperation and enable the region to continue leading the way for BRI cooperation," she said.China and the five countries agreed during a foreign ministers' meeting last year to establish the China-Central Asia Summit mechanism, with the six countries to hold biennial summits starting this year.Summit英/ˈsʌmɪt/ 美/ˈsʌmɪt/n.（政府间的）首脑会议，峰会Anniversary英/ˌænɪˈvɜːsəri/ 美/ˌænɪˈvɜːrsəri/n.周年纪念（日）

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is due to start his three-day state visit to China on Tuesday, with expectations high that cooperation between the two countries on post-pandemic economic recovery and the Russia-Ukraine conflict will top the agenda of talks. 白俄罗斯总统亚历山大·卢卡申科将于2月28日开始对中国进行为期三天的国事访问，双方期待疫情后两国经济复苏合作和俄乌冲突将成为会谈重点议题。The visit comes as China works toward economic recovery after the country's top leadership announced a "major, decisive victory" in the fight against COVID-19 on Feb 16. It also takes place at a time of increased tensions between the West and Russia and the West and Belarus over the Russia-Ukraine conflict. 此次访问正值中国经济复苏之际。2月16日，中国最高领导层宣布在抗击COVID-19的斗争中取得了“重大、决定性的胜利”，这次会晤也发生在西方与俄罗斯、西方与白俄罗斯因俄乌冲突而关系紧张之际。China and Belarus agreed to upgrade bilateral relations to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership, following a meeting between President Xi Jinping and Lukashenko on the sidelines of the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Sept 15. 9月15日，习近平主席同卢卡申科在乌兹别克斯坦撒马尔罕举行的上海合作组织成员国元首理事会第二十二次会议，会晤期间，中白同意将双边关系提升为全天候全面战略伙伴关系。The Foreign Ministry has hailed the development of bilateral ties. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 31 years ago, political mutual trust between the two countries has been constantly strengthened, mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields has been deepened, and coordination on regional and international affairs has been getting closer. 外交部对双边关系的发展表示赞赏。建交31年来，两国政治互信不断增强，各领域互利合作不断深化，在地区和国际事务中的协调与配合日益紧密。China looks forward to working with Belarus and taking Lukashenko's visit as an opportunity to pursue further progress in the all-around cooperation between the two countries, ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a news conference on Monday. 2月27日，中国外交部发言人毛宁周一在新闻发布会上表示，中国期待与白俄罗斯合作，并以卢卡申科访问为契机，推动两国全方位合作取得进一步进展。During a telephone conversation with Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik on Friday, Foreign Minister Qin Gang said China will continue to support Belarus in its efforts to safeguard national stability and development, and oppose external interference in the country's internal affairs as well as illegal unilateral sanctions against it. 外交部长秦刚2月24日与白俄罗斯外长谢尔盖·阿列尼克通电话时表示，中方将继续支持白俄罗斯维护国家稳定和发展的努力，反对外部势力干涉白俄罗斯内政，反对非法单边制裁白俄罗斯。Aleinik said that Belarus fully agrees with and supports the Chinese document, and added China's proposals are of great significance to resolving the crisis. 阿列尼克表示，白方完全赞同并支持中方文件，中方倡议对化解危机具有重要意义。Western countries including the United States have imposed economic sanctions on Belarus following the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Given the sanctions, analysts said the Belarusian president might use the visit to seek to further enhance the strategic partnership and strengthen economic and trade cooperation with China. 俄乌冲突爆发后，美国等西方国家纷纷对白俄罗斯实施经济制裁。鉴于制裁，分析人士表示，白俄罗斯总统可能会利用此次访问寻求进一步加强战略伙伴关系，加强与中国的经贸合作。Belarus was one of the first countries to support and participate in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative. The China-Belarus Industrial Park, a successful major project, is often referred to as the "pearl of the Silk Road Economic Belt". 白俄罗斯是最早支持和参与中国提出的“一带一路”倡议的国家之一。中白工业园是一个成功的重大项目，常被称为“丝绸之路经济带的明珠”。Trade volume between the two countries totaled more than $5 billion in 2022, up 33 percent year-on-year, according to the General Administration of Customs. 据海关总署称，2022年两国贸易总额超过50亿美元，同比增长33%。On Friday, China issued a 12-point position paper on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.2月24日，中国发表了关于政治解决乌克兰危机的12点立场文件。In an interview with Xinhua News Agency before his China visit, Lukashenko said that nowadays, no problem in the world can be resolved without China. He said he appreciated China for pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace, adding that China's position on resolving the Ukraine crisis is a demonstration of such a policy.卢卡申科访华前接受新华社采访时表示，当今世界，任何问题都离不开中国。他说，我赞赏中国奉行独立自主的和平外交政策，中国在解决乌克兰危机问题上的立场就是这一政策的体现。Unilateral英 [ˌjuːnɪˈlætrəl] 美 [ˌjuːnɪˈlætrəl]adj. 单边的Sanction英 [ˈsæŋkʃn] 美 [ˈsæŋkʃn]n.制裁Demonstration英[ˌdemənˈstreɪʃn]美[ˌdemənˈstreɪʃn]n.表明

China's “Belt and Road Initiative” is a multi-trillion dollar global infrastructure project that harkens back to its original Silk Road roots to connect the regions of the world into a massive trade network. The project is currently underway and is expected to be completed in the middle part of the century, but the project isn't without controversy. The two-pronged approach features the Silk Road Economic Belt which connects countries and regions through road and rail projects and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road which connects China to ports in SE Asia, South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. Can China pull off the most ambitious construction project in the history of the world, or is it simply a covert way of enslaving unsuspecting countries into a devious debt trap laid by the CCP? Sponsors: Emergency Preparedness Food: www.preparewithmacroaggressions.com Chemical Free Body: https://www.chemicalfreebody.com and use promo code: MACRO C60 Purple Power: https://c60purplepower.com/ Promo Code: MACRO Wise Wolf Gold & Silver: www.Macroaggressions.gold True Hemp Science: https://truehempscience.com/ Haelan: https://haelan951.com/pages/macro Solar Power Lifestyle: https://solarpowerlifestyle.com/ Promo Code: MACRO LegalShield: www.DontGetPushedAround.com Coin Bit App: https://coinbitsapp.com/?ref=0SPP0gjuI68PjGU89wUv Macroaggressions Merch Store: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/macroaggressions?ref_id=22530 LinkTree: linktr.ee/macroaggressions Books: HYPOCRAZY: https://amzn.to/3AFhfg2 Controlled Demolition on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08M21XKJ5 Purchase "The Octopus Of Global Control" Amazon: https://amzn.to/3aEFFcr Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/39vdKeQ Online Connection: Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/Macroaggressions Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/macroaggressions_podcast/ Discord Link:  https://discord.gg/4mGzmcFexg Website: www.theoctopusofglobalcontrol.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/theoctopusofglobalcontrol Twitter: www.twitter.com/macroaggressio3 Twitter Handle: @macroaggressio3 YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCn3GlVLKZtTkhLJkiuG7a-Q Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2LjTwu5

英语新闻︱Xi eyes common growth in visits to Central AsiaNeighborly friendship, connectivity and common development stand out as key phrases used in both of President Xi Jinping's signed articles published by leading media outlets in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on Tuesday.9月13日，国家主席习近平在乌兹别克斯坦、哈萨克斯坦主要媒体发表署名文章，强调了睦邻友好、互联互通、互利共赢这几个关键词。The two articles were published prior to Xi's Central Asia tour from Wednesday to Friday.文章发表于习近平主席此次中亚之行前夕。Xi will attend the 22nd meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of State in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, and make state visits to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.习近平将出席在乌兹别克斯坦撒马尔罕举行的上海合作组织成员国元首理事会第二十二次会议，并对哈萨克斯坦共和国和乌兹别克斯坦共和国进行国事访问。This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and both Central Asian nations.今年是中哈、中乌建交30周年。In his article for Kazakh media, Xi recalled the past 30 years by pointing to the major strides made in bilateral ties, remarkable results in pragmatic cooperation, extensive infrastructure links built between the two countries, and their flourishing friendship.在哈萨克斯坦媒体上发表的文章中，习近平回顾了过去的30年，指出中哈关系阔步向前，中哈合作成就斐然，中哈联通畅达四方，以及两国友好深入人心。"We are friends to trust and partners to count on for each other, and our peoples always stand shoulder to shoulder with each other," Xi wrote.习近平写道：“两国是彼此信赖的朋友和相互倚重的伙伴，两国人民永远肩并肩站在一起。”He envisioned the two nations' further teamwork in bilateral and international contexts to boost growth, common security and global governance.习近平希望，两国持续发展睦邻友好，不断深化互利合作，坚定捍卫共同安全，全面加强国际协作。China would like to partner with Kazakhstan to remain pioneers in Belt and Road cooperation and cultivate new sources of growth such as artificial intelligence, big data, digital finance, e-commerce and green energy, he wrote.习近平强调，中方愿同哈方一道，继续做共建“一带一路”的先行者，培育人工智能、大数据、数字金融、电子商务、绿色能源等领域新增长点。In his article for Uzbek media, Xi said the two nations are "good friends sharing close affinity", "good partners pursuing common development", a "good example of dialogue between civilizations" and "good brothers supporting each other in times of need".在乌兹别克斯坦媒体上发表的文章中，习近平提到，中乌是“彼此交心的好朋友”、“共同发展的好伙伴”、“文明对话的好榜样”、“相互帮扶的好兄弟”。Bilateral trade exceeded $8 billion last year and "is on course to reach the $10 billion goal set for 2022", Xi wrote. 习近平指出，2021年中乌双边贸易额超过80亿美元，“正朝着全年100亿美元的目标稳步迈进”。"The two countries have rendered mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests, supported each other's implementation of development strategies, drawn upon each other's experience of reform and opening-up, and injected positive energy into regional development," he wrote.习近平还表示，两国“在涉及彼此核心利益问题上相互支持，在推进各自发展战略方面相互助力，在扩大改革开放方面互学互鉴，为地区发展不断注入正能量”。The Central Asia trip is "China's most important head-of-state diplomatic event ahead of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China", Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Tuesday.外交部发言人毛宁13日表示，中亚之行是“在中国共产党二十大召开前夕开展的一次最重要的元首外交活动”。Mao noted that both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are friendly neighbors and comprehensive strategic partners of China, and they are key countries on the routes of the Belt and Road.毛宁指出，哈萨克斯坦、乌兹别克斯坦都是中国的友好近邻和全面战略伙伴，也是“一带一路”重要的沿线国家。The state visits will introduce new blueprints, goals and impetus for China's bilateral ties with the two countries, showing that China's bilateral ties with the two countries are entering a new phase of development, she added.毛宁表示，此次国事访问将为中哈、中乌关系发展擘画新蓝图、指明新目标、注入新动力，标志着中哈、中乌关系进入新的发展阶段。In both of his articles, Xi highlighted the fact that next year marks the 10th anniversary of his putting forward the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative — a key component of the landmark Belt and Road Initiative — in Kazakhstan in 2013.在这两篇署名文章中，习近平强调，明年是他2013年在哈萨克斯坦访问时提出建设“丝绸之路经济带”倡议10周年。The BRI "has become a platform for international cooperation that is open, inclusive and mutually beneficial, promotes win-win cooperation and is a global public good widely welcomed by the international community", he noted.习近平指出，共建“一带一路”已成为“开放包容、互利互惠、合作共赢的国际合作平台，是国际社会普遍欢迎的全球公共产品”。He called for joint efforts to further put into action the Global Development Initiative — which he proposed last year and which has gained support from over 100 countries — so as to give impetus to world economic recovery.习近平呼吁各方共同努力，推动全球发展倡议落地走实，为助推世界经济复苏作出贡献。自中方提出该倡议以来，迄今已有100多国表示支持。In his article published in Uzbekistan, Xi also spoke highly of Uzbekistan's role as chairman of the SCO Samarkand Summit this year.在乌兹别克斯坦媒体上发表的文章中，习近平还高度评价了乌兹别克斯坦担任上海合作组织轮值主席国以来作出的贡献。He expressed his confidence that, with the joint efforts of all sides, the Samarkand Summit will produce "fruitful outcomes" and make a greater contribution to building an even closer SCO community with a shared future and to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity.习近平表示，相信在各方共同努力下，撒马尔罕峰会一定会取得丰硕成果，为构建更加紧密的上海合作组织命运共同体，促进地区和平稳定、发展繁荣作出更大贡献。At the SCO summit, Xi will exchange views with other attending leaders on "all-around cooperation within the SCO framework as well as major international and regional issues", according to Mao, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman.外交部发言人毛宁表示，在上合组织峰会上，习近平主席将同其他的与会国家领导人一道，重点围绕“上合组织框架内全方位合作、重大国际和地区问题”等深入交换意见。The SCO's role has been highlighted in securing regional security stability and promoting countries' development and prosperity amid profound changes in the global situation and the COVID-19 pandemic, she said.毛宁指出，在国际形势深刻变化、新冠肺炎疫情延宕反复的背景下，上海合作组织在维护地区安全稳定和促进各国发展繁荣方面的作用进一步凸显。记者：张陨璧stride英[straɪd]；美[straɪd]n.大步，阔步;步幅;进展;一跨（的宽度）v.大踏步走;跨过vi.跨vt. 跨坐在…envision英[ɪnˈvɪʒn]；美[ɛnˈvɪʒən]vt.设想;想象;预想affinity英[əˈfɪnəti]；美[əˈfɪnəti]n. 密切关系，姻亲关系;（男女之间的）吸引力，吸引人的异性;类同;类似，近似impetus英[ˈɪmpɪtəs]；美[ˈɪmpɪtəs]n. 动力;促进;势头;声势

英语新闻∣习近平主席即将出席上海合作组织成员国元首理事会第二十二次会议President Xi Jinping's upcoming Central Asia trip will give a major boost to China's bonds with its neighbors there, catalyze two-way,pragmatic cooperation and promote the unity and efficacy of the 21-year-old Shanghai Cooperation Organization, observers said.观察人士表示，习近平主席即将进行的中亚之行将极大地促进中国与中亚邻国的关系，促进双向务实合作，加强已有21年历史的上海合作组织成员国的团结，提升上海合作组织的效能。From Wednesday to Friday, Xi will attend the 22nd meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of State in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, and make state visits to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying announced on Monday.9月12日，外交部新闻发言人华春莹表示，9月14日至16日，国家主席习近平将出席在撒马尔罕举行的上海合作组织成员国元首理事会第二十二次会议，并应哈萨克斯坦共和国总统托卡耶夫、乌兹别克斯坦共和国总统米尔济约耶夫邀请对两国进行国事访问。The Central Asia tour will be Xi's first trip abroad in more than two years, and the timing of the visits to the two destinations bears profound significance, experts said.专家表示，中亚之行将是习近平主席两年多来首次出访，而选择在这个时机出访两国具有深远意义。Both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are celebrating their 30th anniversary this year of building diplomatic relations with China, and their presidents visited China in February to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Winter Games and met with Xi.今年，哈萨克斯坦和乌兹别克斯坦都庆祝了与中国建交30周年，两国总统在今年2月访问中国，参加北京冬季奥运会开幕式，并与习近平主席会面。Kazakhstan is the birthplace of the landmark Belt and Road Initiative, as it was there that Xi first proposed the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative—a key component of the BRI—during his first state visit to the country as president in 2013.哈萨克斯坦是“一带一路”首倡之地。2013年，习近平主席首次访问哈萨克斯坦时提出了共建“丝绸之路经济带”的倡议。As of July 4, 149 countries and 32 international organizations have signed cooperative documents with China on jointly building the Belt and Road.截至7月4日，已有149个国家、32个国际组织同中国签署共建“一带一路”合作文件。As Kazakhstan is on the first stop of the BRI's westward routes from China, "China-Kazakhstan relations have yielded fruitful outcomes in areas such as connectivity, production capacity, economy, trade and culture", said Chinese Ambassador to Kazakhstan Zhang Xiao.中国驻哈萨克斯坦大使张霄表示，哈萨克斯坦是“一带一路”的西出首站，“中哈两国在共建‘一带一路'框架内成功开展互联互通、产能、经贸、人文等领域合作，取得实打实、沉甸甸的丰硕成果。”Annual bilateral trade reached $25.25 billion last year, nearly 70 times the amount in 1992, the year in which the two countries established diplomatic ties, making the country "avanguard and exemplary zone in co-building the Belt and Road", Zhang told China National Radio recently.近日，张霄在接受中央人民广播电台采访时表示，2021年中哈贸易额达到252.5亿美元，1992年中哈两国建交之初贸易额的近70倍，“哈萨克斯坦已成为共建‘一带一路'的重要先行区和示范区。” The two countries' trade volume reached $17.69 billion in the first seven months of the year, according to China's General Administration of Customs.根据中国海关总署的数据，今年前7个月，中哈贸易额达到176.9亿美元。Meanwhile, China is working closely with Uzbekistan to boost thesynergy between the BRI and the Development Strategy for New Uzbekistan, the country's flagship vision for growth.与此同时，中方正与乌方密切合作，加快“新乌兹别克斯坦”战略和“一带一路”倡议对接合作。Both countries are working toward the goal of reaching $10 billion in annual bilateral trade, according to Chinese Ambassador to Uzbekistan Jiang Yan.中国驻乌兹别克斯坦大使姜岩说，两国正在朝着年双边贸易额100亿美元的目标努力。The trade volume between the two nations was $5.53 billion in the first seven months of 2022, according to Customs data.海关数据显示，2022年前7个月，中乌贸易额为55.3亿美元。Su Xiaohui, deputy director of the China Institute of International Studies' Department of American Studies, said the trip "will further build on the great relationships between the top leaders and chart the course for more highlights of bilateral collaboration in the years to come".中国国际问题研究院国际战略研究所副所长苏晓晖表示，此次访问“将进一步巩固两国最高领导人之间的良好关系，并为未来几年双边合作的更多亮点制定路线图”。"Also, the trip is expected to see China and the rest of the SCO member statesgear up in tackling the unprecedented economic and political challenges from the outside world, given thespillover effects of the global economic downturn, geopolitical conflicts and the COVID-19 pandemic," Su said.此外，考虑到全球经济低迷、地缘政治冲突和新冠肺炎疫情的溢出效应，预计此次访问将促使中国和上海合作组织其他成员国加紧应对来自外部世界的前所未有的经济和政治挑战。Samarkand, an Uzbek city known for its great cultural heritage, will host the SCO Summit on Thursday and Friday.上海合作组织峰会将于9月14日至16日在乌兹别克斯坦名城撒马尔罕举行。This year marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Charter of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the 15th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on Long-Term Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation.今年是《上海合作组织宪章》签署20周年和《上海合作组织成员国长期睦邻友好合作条约》签署15周年。The organization has eight member states, four observer states and six dialogue partners, and around 10 countries have voiced their hope to join the group or upgrade their status within the group.目前有8个成员国、4个观察员国和6个对话伙伴，和其他10个国家表示希望加入上海合作组织或提高其在上海合作组织中的地位。"Instability and uncertainties are increasingly evident now", given the significant global changes unseen in a century, the COVID-19 pandemic and the resurfacing of a Cold War mentality in the world, Ambassador Jiang said recently in an interview with Chinese media.近日，姜岩大使在接受媒体采访时表示：“当前，国际形势面临百年未有之大变局，冠肺炎疫情全球大流行，冷战思维抬头，不稳定性和不确定性日益凸显。”Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev wrote in a signed article that "no country alone can hope to avoid or cope with these global risks and challenges".乌兹别克斯坦总统沙夫卡特·米尔济约耶夫在文章中写道:“显然任何国家都无法置身事外或独立应对全球性风险和挑战。”"In a world with the new challenges and opportunities, the SCO has excellent prospects for transformation and growth, not only through quantitative replenishment, but also through the opening of new strategic vectors. These are transport and connectivity, energy, food and environmental security, innovations, digital transformation and green economy," he added.“在当前充满新挑战新机遇的世界中，上合组织有望通过扩员以及拓展互联互通、能源安全、创新、数字化和绿色经济等战略合作新领域，实现转型和开辟更加广阔发展前景。”pragmatic英[præɡˈmætɪk]美[præɡˈmætɪk]adj. 实际的; 实用主义的vanguard英[ˈvænɡɑːd]美[ˈvænɡɑːrd]n. 先锋，前锋synergy英[ˈsɪnədʒi]美[ˈsɪnərdʒi]n. 协同，配合gear up 英[ɡiə ʌp]美[ɡɪr ʌp]v. 换高速挡; 改进…以适应提高生产的需要spillover英[ˈspɪləʊvə(r)]美[ˈspɪloʊvə(r)]n. 溢出

In the year 2013 which seems like an eternity today, Xi Jinping announced the Silk Road Economic Belt during his visit to Kazakhstan, during the same year, Xi Jinping announced the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road while visiting Indonesia. The total effort of the Silk Road Economic Belt plus The Maritime Silk Road is known as the China Belt and Road Initiative. The Chinese call the Belt and Road Initiative as just an infrastructural development initiative but it is more than that. The BRI will allow Chinese to impose their policies, their trade rules (if they have any), economic style and human capital to all countries through which this passes. Do share if you like this episode.

On this episode I interview Charles Stevens, who as part of the New Silk Road Project (www.newsilkroadproject.com) traveled over 10,000 miles on the "Silk Road Economic Belt" in a Jeep. Along the way he interviewed different local and Chinese stakeholders who are building, analyzing and using the new Chinese financed and built infrastructure. If you are looking for more on-the-ground stories of what is happening along the Belt, this episode is for you. Charles' recommendations: 1) China Steps Out: Beijing's Major Power Engagement with the Developing World - edited by Joshua Eisenman and Eric Heginbotham https://www.routledge.com/China-Steps-Out-Beijings-Major-Power-Engagement-with-the-Developing-World/Eisenman-Heginbotham/p/book/97811382029312) The Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan https://www.amazon.com/Silk-Roads-New-History-World-ebook/dp/B00XST7IX2Erik's recommendation: Anything written by Hannah Ryder twitter: @hmryder Specifically "My New Year's Resolution: Why I'm Banning "The West" https://developmentreimagined.com/2019/01/14/my-new-years-resolution-why-im-banning-the-west/Follow what Charles and the New Silk Road Project are doing @onebeltprojectFollow the latest news, research and analysis @beltandroadpod

China is heavily investing in two global trade routes: a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road stretching from Southern China across the Indian Ocean to connect Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Africa to the Mediterranean; and a land-based Silk Road Economic Belt connecting Western China to Europe via Central Asia. Establishing these transcontinental trade routes will likely cost over one trillion dollars and will cover 65% of the world's population. How likely is China to succeed in achieving these grand investment goals, and how would this proposed project impact global trade? Dr. Thomas Fingar, a Shorenstein APARC fellow in the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University, discusses China's audacious vision for their "One Belt, One Road" project with Markos Kounalakis, visiting fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution. We want to hear from you! Please take part in a quick survey to tell us how we can improve our podcast: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PWZ7KMW  

China under Xi Jinping, is seeking to bring together the Silk Road Economic Belt and the Maritime Silk Road through a vast network of railways, roads, pipelines, ports, and telecommunications infrastructure.

Developed along the “Silk Road Economic Belt” and the “21st Century Maritime Silk Road”, China’s Belt and Road Initiative is reaching more than 62 per cent of the world’s population and 34 per cent of global merchandise trade. This video offers a sample of what businesspeople in a range of sectors have found on their way to success in this huge market.

2017-05-08 Special EnglishThis is Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Here is the news.Tianzhou 1, China's first cargo spacecraft, has completed the country's first in-orbit refueling test with the unmanned Tiangong II space laboratory.The China Manned Space Agency has called the mission a success. The space agency said the refueling test was a major technology breakthrough and has paved the way for China to assemble and operate a space station.The agency said China has become the third nation to complete in-orbit refueling technology, following Russia and the United States.As the first of the planned three such tests for the cargo spacecraft, the in-orbit refueling took five days. Making sure there is no leakage of fuel is crucial.The agency said that after the first test, the two spacecraft will stay connected as they orbit Earth for around two months. The second in-orbit refueling test will be conducted in June.After that, the two spacecraft will undock. The cargo vessel will make sophisticated, automated maneuvers to circle the space lab, and docking with the lab at a different site.This is Special English.China is to extend the current nine-year compulsory education to encompass high school students nationwide by 2020.A Guideline for Popularizing High School Education has been released by the Ministry of Education and another three ministries.The guideline aims to raise the gross enrolment ratio for high schools to above 90 percent on average nationwide. The rates in central and western China will be substantially improved.Last year, China's overall gross enrollment ratio was 87 percent for high schools, representing a tendency of a rise of 3 percent in the next four years.The ratio is a statistical measurement to show the number of enrolled students to those who qualify for certain grades, ranging from primary school to middle and high school periods. Over the past few decades, China required children to attend primary and middle schools, while high school was not obligatory.The new document is also to bridge the gap for regional disparity of high school education, as the central and western regions lag far behind eastern China.For example, the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region in southwest China still has an insufficient number of high school teachers, demanding 13,000 more to reach the national average ratio of teachers to students. What's worse is that the region's high schools have debts worth 2 billion yuan, roughly 290 million US dollars.You're listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing.Police have opened a new front in the war on drugs by targeting traffickers who recruit disabled people as couriers.Drug gangs target people with disabilities or chronic illnesses, as well as pregnant or lactating women, because Chinese laws contain a number of clauses allowing these "vulnerable people" to avoid prison. That, plus the offer of "easy money", is often enough for those from the poorest sections of society to run the risks associated with the trade.Last year, more than 5,300 such people were detained while transporting narcotics. Among them, 780 were foreign nationals, and a large number were from Myanmar. That's according to a report released recently by China's top anti-drug authority, the Office of National Narcotics Control Commission.In August, an 18-year-old pregnant woman from Myanmar was caught with almost 3 kilograms of methamphetamine stashed in 80 moon-cakes, a traditional Chinese delicacy.The couriers had been hired to carry the narcotics from Myanmar to Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province. The woman was caught as she was about to deliver the food to the buyer. In her confession, she said she was due to receive 5,000 yuan, roughly 730 US dollars, when the deal was closed.This is Special English.China's health authorities are installing vendor machines selling home HIV test kits on university campuses. The move aims to help raise awareness and fight HIV/AIDS, as the epidemic begins to hit more young people in China.To date, 10 universities across China have joined the initiative, which many call "progressive". Sex remains largely a taboo subject in many parts of the country, and systematic sex education is still lacking.The initiative is led by the Chinese Association of STD and AIDS Prevention and Control. The association says it cannot wait to take action, but it's hard to do so, especially on university campuses. An official from the association says more universities are planning to join the move to install such machines on campus as an alternative option for students seeking HIV testing.The official says many students are reluctant to visit HIV testing clinics run by health authorities, even though the visit is free of charge. Privacy concerns and fear of being discriminated against are largely the seasons they stay away.China has seen a rapid increase in HIV cases in recent years, particularly among young students aged between 15 and 24.You're listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing.Construction has begun on China's first commercial space industry center in Wuhan, the capital of central China's Hubei province.The Wuhan National Space Industry Base aims to attract at least 100 enterprises involved in the space industry before 2020. It plans to generate 30 billion yuan, roughly 4 billion US dollars, in annual gross product by then.The main investor is the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation. The center will occupy 70 square kilometers of land area."Expace Technology" is a subsidiary of the corporation. It will invest 1.7 billion yuan to build production and assembly plants for solid-fuel carrier rockets for commercial launches. The company plans to produce 20 rockets at the center each year.In China, a commercial launch usually means a space launch financed by an entity other than a Chinese government or military agency.The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation will invest 300 million yuan to construct a research, development and manufacturing complex at the center to make small satellites. The corporation will launch 156 small communications satellites into low Earth orbit, at an altitude of 160 to 2,000 kilometers, before the end of 2025. They would form a network capable of global coverage.This is Special English.A specialized Chinese university has launched a nationwide search for students with the passion and talent to study the languages used in countries along the Belt and Road Initiative.Beijing Foreign Studies University has kicked off an independent recruitment program to find candidates for 22 language majors that will be offered in the next academic year.The languages are Portuguese, Hungarian, Czech, Swedish, Dutch, Finnish, Lao, Thai, Indonesian and Hausa. They are found along the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which make up the Chinese initiative aimed at boosting connectivity between Asia, Europe and Africa.Applicants must have an outstanding high school record in Chinese and foreign language studies and will need to pass several rounds of interviews to test their commitment and potential.The university says it hopes to ensure students recruited through the program have a strong interest in studying Belt and Road languages and have the ability to study well.The program was launched last year to nurture talent in linguistics and regional research, and to provide intellectual support for the initiative.The standards are strict. Of more than 2,700 applicants for 15 majors, only 270 students were admitted. The number of students admitted this year will not increase much, as the university wants to guarantee quality.You're listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. You can access the program by logging on to crienglish.com. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. Now the news continues.The National Copyright Administration of China has launched its English website to enhance international communication on copyright protection.The website has been launched to mark the 2017 World Intellectual Property Day. The website is en.ncac.gov.cn. It features news, law and regulation, as well as other subjects.Officials say the next step is to provide more information at the website. China's intellectual property rights have made great progress in the past decade. An annual crackdown campaign initiated by the National Copyright Administration has focused on pirated music, videos, games, animation and software for 12 consecutive years to create a good online copyright system.This is Special English.The face-lift of a section of the Sanlitun area of Beijing is underway. Demolitions raised mixed feelings among foreigners and locals as the decades-old bar street will likely disappear.Heavy equipment was used to knock down dozens of illegal building additions that stretched from residential buildings to shopping malls.Beijing has been targeting illegal constructions since the beginning of the year. Illegally constructed extensions associated with several thousand units in the city will be removed. Missing walls, windows and other elements will be restored according to their original designs.The bar street is home to a variety of nail salons, foot massage parlors and restaurants. It has become increasingly popular in recent decades because of an influx of foreigners and diplomatic personnel.Frank Hansen from Denmark said the special charm of the street will be gone when all the extended rooms have been removed. He used to have weekend gatherings with friends on the street. He said they will probably not go back to the new bars after the demolition.You're listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing.Bike-sharing fever has spread to Tibet, with 500 shared two-wheelers appearing on the plateau.Bright yellow Ofo bikes have been placed in over 20 spots in Xigaze, the second largest city in Tibet. A local sponsor of the project says it hopes to make shared bikes a major means of transport for the local people in Tibet and tourists alike. The company's next target is Lhasa, the capital of the Autonomous Region.The bike-sharing business took off in big cities in China last year. It allows riders to hire bikes for as little as one yuan, roughly 15 U.S. cents, per hour via a mobile app. Riders can drop the bikes off anywhere for the next user.The bikes on the busy streets of Xigaze have attracted curious users. A local resident in the city, Cering says it's cheap for a short ride. He and his friends rented bikes just for fun.Backed by two-digit economic growth for over 20 years, car sales in Tibet have been booming. The under-populated region now has 300,000 vehicles, with half of them in Lhasa. The four-wheelers have led to traffic congestion and parking problems in downtown Lhasa.This is Special English.The water levels of the Pacific Ocean off California may rise more than previously thought. Storms and high tides may hit harder than previously estimated. California's Ocean Protection Council revised upward its predictions for how much water off California will rise as a result of globing warming. The forecast helps agencies in the nation's most populous state plan for climate change. Rising water is seeping toward low-lying airports, highways and communities, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area.Discoveries that ice sheets are melting increasingly fast in Antarctica largely spurred the change. Antarctica holds almost 90 percent of the world's ice.Fossil-fuel emissions warm the Earth's atmosphere. The melting ice is expected to raise the water off California's 1,770 kilometers of coastline even more than for the world as a whole.Officials say state agencies take climate change into account in planning and budgeting. （全文见周六微信。）

The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road, also known as The Belt and Road (B&R), One Belt, One Road (OBOR), or the Belt and Road Initiative is a development strategy and framework, proposed by Chinese paramount leader Xi Jinping that focuses on connectivity and cooperation among countries primarily between the People's Republic of China and the rest of Eurasia, which consists of two main components, the land-based "Silk Road Economic Belt" (SREB) and oceangoing "Maritime Silk Road" (MSR). The strategy underlines China's push to take a bigger role in global affairs, and its need for priority capacity cooperation in areas such as steel manufacturing. Revelation 16:12 LITV And the sixth angel poured out his bowl onto the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up so that the way of the kings from the rising of the sun might be prepared.   End Time Tribune

The Belt and Road initiative has the goal to promote regional and cross-continental connectivity between China and Eurasia. The ‘One Belt’ and ‘One Road’ refer to China’s proposed ‘Silk Road Economic Belt’ and ‘Maritime Silk Road’, and will consist of a series of infrastructure investments to facilitate trade between the regions involved. Potential challenges abound with financing the planned $890bn in investments. What will be the role of AIIB, a China-led multilateral institution with 57 member countries? Could European banks help finance the Belt and Road through cross border lending? More information about the event: http://bruegel.org/events/financing-the-belt-and-road-initiative/

In 2013, Chinese president Xi Jinping put forward the proposal to boost Eurasian economic integration and infrastructure building through its ambitious “Silk Road Economic Belt” and “21st Century Maritime Silk Road” initiatives. It is widely regarded as President Xi’s signature economic as well as foreign policy undertaking. The project could involve trillions of dollars of potential investment across many continents including Australia’s immediate neighbouring region: Southeast Asia. On 30 May the Lowy Institute’s Peter Cai spoke to one of Australia’s leading experts on Chinese infrastructure investment, Grant Dooley, the head of Hastings Infrastructure Fund Asia’s practice and the former Australian Consul-General in Guangzhou, China. The Lowy Institute is grateful for the support of our event partner, AMP.

完整文稿看周日微信第三条，你懂的呦~ This is NEWS Plus Special English. I&`&m Liu Yan in Beijing. Here is the news.A total of 24 radio and television entities from countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road have signed a memorandum on broadcast cooperation.The countries include China, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Tajikistan.Cooperation will feature visits by institution leaders, as well as program and personnel exchanges.China encourages media cooperation along the "Belt and Road", and called for the creation of a collaboration mechanism.China&`&s State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television said audiences will be exposed to varied information and culture, and increase understanding through broadcasting cooperation.Proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, the "Belt and Road" Initiative aims to revive the ancient trade routes between Asia and Europe, break infrastructure bottlenecks and boost efficient allocation of resources. This is NEWS Plus Special English.China will hold photo exhibitions in more than 150 countries and regions throughout August and September to mark the 70th anniversary of its World War II victory on Sept. 3.More than 300 historical pictures will be on display in order to underline the oriental battleground&`&s contribution to the victory of the world anti-fascist war.The exhibitions will be translated into six languages.Meanwhile, between July 15 and September 15, the People&`&s Liberation Army will stage an exhibition on the important role the Communist Party of China played in the war. The exhibition will be held in the Military Museum of the Chinese People&`&s Revolution in Beijing.This year marks the 70 anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Japan signed its formal surrender on Sept. 2, 1945, and China celebrated its victory the following day.A major military parade will be held on Sept. 3 at Beijing&`&s Tian&`&anmen Square to commemorate the event.China&`&s silver screens and theater stages will be dominated by war stories about Japan&`&s invasion of China in the early half of last century.War-themed stage performances, including symphonies, concerts, traditional operas and puppet shows will be staged nationwide from this month. This is NEWS Plus Special English.The Ministry of Education has named and shamed university employees who had broken regulations relating to "righteous life and work styles".The ministry named staff from three universities involved in five cases concerning travel expenses paid for with public funds, fraudulent retiree compensation claims, and accepting financial gifts at weddings.In one case, faculties under Tongji University&`&s School of Economics and Management were found to have financed an overseas visit with public funds in 2013.Punishments were meted out to violators, including disciplinary warnings.A rule on bureaucracy, formalism and extravagance was introduced at a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee at the end of 2012.You are listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I&`&m Liu Yan in Beijing.China&`&s first "Internet Plus" innovation and entrepreneurship contest for college students will take place between July and October.The Ministry of Education says the contest aims to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship and promote employment opportunities for college graduates.Applications are underway; and preliminary heats will be held between July and September, with the final in mid-October.Participants are encouraged to come up with ideas or programs related to the Internet; for example, how to combine the Internet with traditional industries, or using online platforms to provide public services.The contest will invite established entrepreneurs, investors, university teachers and higher education experts as judges to select around 300 teams and award funds for further developing their projects.This is NEWS Plus Special English.Wildlife advocates have cheered the removal of the Tibetan antelope from the endangered species list, but pledged to continue their protection efforts. Environment and animal protection authorities announced last month that the Tibetan antelope was no longer an endangered species.Thanks to effective protection efforts, there are now around 200,000 Tibetan antelopes in the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau area, and the population is steadily climbing.Tibetan antelopes mainly live in western China, including Qinghai Province, and Xinjiang and Tibet autonomous regions, with the majority living in northern Tibet.Poachers in search of the animal&`&s pelts resulted in the sharp decline of the antelope population in the 1990s. By the beginning of 2000, only 70,000 of them were left.Shahtoosh, ultra-soft shawl made of yarn from the down fur of the animal, can fetch upward of 40,000 U.S. dollars each. On average, it takes the hide of three antelopes to create one Shahtoosh.In 1996 and 1997, a total of more than 840 kilograms of yarn were seized by two customs offices in Lhasa, the regional capital of Tibet.This is NEWS Plus Special English.Tusi Sites, the remains of an ancient political system adopted by the central authorities to govern ethnic minority regions in southwest China, have been inscribed on the World Heritage List.The World Heritage Committee made the decision at its annual meeting in Germany, in recognition of the "universal value" reflected in the Sites.The Tusi Sites are located separately in the mountainous areas of Hunan, Hubei and Guizhou provinces.Tusi means hereditary tribal headmen appointed by the central authorities to govern the often unruly ethnic minority regions in southwestern China.The committee said the system aimed at unifying national administration while simultaneously allowing ethnic minorities to retain their customs and way of life.The inscription of the Tusi Sites inz

Every June, a large number of tourists from China and aboard are surrounded by purple waves as lavender comes into blossom in Huocheng County, Xinjiang, the so-called "Oriental Provence".This is the 5th year of the Huocheng lavender festival, which features a lavender experts' forum, a "Miss. Lavender" beauty contest, and ethnic groups' traditional performances.Yang Menghan, a tourist from Shanghai is surprised about how much lavender is planted in Xinjiang."For me, the sheer number of lavender fields in Ili came as a really big shock. Previously, I thought this kind of plant could only be cultivated in foreign countries, and I just realize it can grow so well in China. I would like to buy some lavender-derived essential oil for my relatives and friends."Back in the 1960s, three species of lavender were introduced from Provence, France to Ili for the first time.Since Huocheng is located at the same latitude as the world famous lavender base Provence, the city has ideal climate conditions to plant the crop on an industrial scale.After half a century, Huocheng has taken up 98% of China's lavender fields.French lavender expert Pierre Ross still remembers his first visit to Ili several years ago, when he took a sample of Xinjiang's lavender seeds back to a laboratory in France.Mr. Ross has been working on how to improve the lavenders' quality in Xinjiang over the past few years."I would like to say with confidence, you know... the great difference between lavender from Ili and lavender from Provence is the price, because it is the French (brand), it is more expensive. So for example, if Americans know that, they would buy more lavender from Xinjiang. "As Ili stands at a key position for building China's Silk Road Economic Belt, Ren Ke, CEO of the local lavender giant Jieyou Princess is expecting more opportunities for Xinjiang lavender to go global."In the past, we were lagging behind those global top brands due to the less well developed technology. Thanks to the "Belt and Road" initiative, the authorities have helped us bring more foreign experts here. As such, the improved quality has created good conditions for our products to sell overseas. "In recent years, more and more farmers have turned their eyes from tradition food crops to lavender planting, since the latter is more lucrative.The number of farmers planting lavender in Huocheng County has now reached 15 thousand.

This is NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Here is the news.Russia and China will jointly celebrate the 70th anniversary of the victory in the Second World War.Russian President Vladimir Putin says he expects Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Moscow for the celebration on May 9.Putin made the statement in Moscow when meeting a delegation from the Chinese Communist Party central committee. He says the joint celebrations will help safeguard world peace against attempts to distort history and glorify invaders.China and Russia were two main battlefields in Asia and Europe during the Second World War. The countries made enormous contributions to the victory in the Anti-Fascist War. The two countries have decided to celebrate the victory in both countries to commemorate martyrs, remember history, and safeguard world peace.In the past two years, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Putin have met many times, reaching a series of important agreements. The meetings and consensus have strengthened the comprehensive strategic partnership and bilateral cooperation in all spheres. This is NEWS Plus Special English.Teachers from Shanghai have given lectures in a primary school in London. It's part of a cultural exchange program between teachers in Shanghai and the U.K.Lin Lei, a math teacher from a renowned primary school in Shanghai, gave her first lecture, and found the students were very self-confident and willing to learn. She was impressed by the students' enthusiasm for interaction with the teacher in class. She especially appreciated their attitude of not caring too much about their own performance during the interaction.However, she commented that British students' calculation methods are very different from what she and her colleagues use back home; and the children's calculation speed is slower. The students in the school were very interested in the new calculation method she taught them, and hoped they can learn more. Lin and other teachers went to Britain last month for the 4-week exchange program. In November last year, the first batch of 30 math teachers from Shanghai traveled to the U.K. for the program.Meanwhile, British secondary school teachers were sent to Shanghai, with the next group planning to follow in September.This is NEWS Plus Special English.Yunnan Police Officer Academy in southwest China has become the country's first police college to enroll foreign students in its master's program.According to the academy, the application channel for its master of policing program has been open to in-service police officers and government officials from Third World countries since earlier this month.Around 40 overseas students will be enrolled in the program and begin their classes in September.The academy was established in 1950, and offers majors including counter-narcotics, criminal investigation and law. It has hosted around 20 international seminars on drug control.The academy has also organized international police education programs since 2002 and trained 1,600 foreign police officers and officials from 39 countries.This is NEWS Plus Special English.Almost 380,000 overseas students came to study on the Chinese mainland last year, a 6 percent increase over the previous year.The students came from 200 countries and regions around the world. The number of students coming from Oceania and Africa increased dramatically, but those coming from the Americas fell slightly.More than 6,000 students came from Oceania, a 32 percent increase year-on-year, while the number of those from Africa was 42,000, an increase of 25 percent over the previous year. Some students say they came to study in China because they were attracted by the country's political and economic development.30-year-old James Mwita, from Kenya, said China has a system that is working, and its political system is efficient. China's economic and social developments are impressive, and he added that he hopes his country can emulate them.You are listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing.Search engine giant Yahoo is set to completely exit from China this year, after the U.S.-based technology company said it was shutting its research and development center in Beijing.The company's decision to end its only physical presence in the Chinese mainland will probably eliminate as many as 300 jobs.The employees, mostly engineers, are scheduled to be relieved from their posts by the end of March.The Chinese mainland has not been a major part of Yahoo's strategy for many years, even though the company has good legacy businesses in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The company has been under increasing pressure from shareholders to reduce costs and improve profits.Yahoo's other two facilities, headquartered in California and India, have also been affected by job cuts in recent months.This year has been tough for foreign technology companies operating on the Chinese mainland. They face increasing competition from stronger local firms. In February, Microsoft announced that it would close two factories and lay off around 9,000 workers. Also in February, social gaming company Zynga decided to close its studio in Beijing.This is NEWS Plus Special English.The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in western China has drafted a pilot plan to offer subsidies for tourists to visit the region.In a bid to revitalize its tourism industry, the local government in Xinjiang has promised a two million yuan subsidy, roughly 320,000 U.S. dollars, for the project. The fund offers each tourist 200 yuan in the form of traveling cards, to tourist groups of more than 16 people. The subsidies will be conditional on the travelling route covering any two of Xinjiang's seven most popular scenic spots, or on travellers spending at least two nights in the region. Tourism officials say procedures should also be simplified and standardized for the convenience and benefits of more travellers. The officials hope the plan will not only promote the tourism market in Xinjiang, but also speed up the construction of the Tourist Distribution Centre of the Silk Road Economic Belt. Xinjiang launched a scheme last year to attract tourists. The region received over 50 million tourists last year, with overall tourism revenues of 65 billion yuan, or almost 10 and a half billion U.S. dollars.This is NEWS Plus Special English.China now has 15 high plateau airports, accounting for 36 percent of the world's total number of high plateau airports.Last year, high plateau airports in China handled 59,000 flights and 6 million passengers, up around 20 percent from the previous year.Unlike most ordinary flights, high plateau flights face more safety challenges, thus, standards should be established at the legislative level. High plateau airports refer to those with an altitude above 2,400 meters. Airports located at altitudes between 1,500 meters and 2,400 meters are called plateau airports.

7 years ago when Beijing staged the Opening Ceremony of the 29th Olympic Games, I was moved to tears thinking this grand event could be an opportunity for the world to understand the friendly Chinese people and their culture. Now seven years later, Chinese historical action film "Dragon Blade" also calls for understanding and friendship in the same spirit, it made my eyes moist again, but failed to create the same emotional ripples that resonated in my heart 7 years ago.Hong Kong director Daniel Lee's "Dragon Blade" stars Jackie Chan and tells the story of a Roman Legion that found its way to the northwest border region of the Han Empire. Roman general Lucius, played by John Cusack, clashes with Jackie Chan's character Huo An, a commander of a Silk Road Protection Squad. Circumstances push the two sides to a truce, before both sides face annihilation by the usurping Roman Emperor Tiberius and his overwhelming expedition troops.Director Daniel Lee is most commonly known for the chic, UFO-shaped helmets in his historical films. According to some Chinese critics, this excess of originality amounts to a lack of respect for history. The mistake regarding the location of Yumenguan, or the Wild Geese Gate, in "Dragon Blade" suggests he is not very well informed about China, although he does show some knowledge regarding Western culture. His 2011 movie "White Vengeance" was a Gothic retelling about the life of first Han Dynasty Emperor Liu Bang, which bore much resemblance to the Shakespearean story of King Lear. In "Dragon Blade", he's done a good job highlighting the engineering prowess of the Roman Legionaries and offers remarkable display of the Roman shield wall technique.The visual aspect of "Dragon Blade" exceeds the standard of a Chinese blockbuster production, and the story would have developed smoothly, had Daniel Lee been able to rein in the ill-placed enthusiasm of producer Jackie Chan. Over his entire career, the Hong Kong martial artist has built and maintained an upright profile with consistency and resolve, and lately he has developed a habit of using movies as a venue for expression. Of course movies, like other art forms, are a body of expression by nature, but among all the media available to filmmakers' discretion, putting ideas in an actor's mouth is perhaps the laziest and most awkward choice, albeit the most explicit.In "Dragon Blade", Jackie Chan takes upon his character to voice his longings for peace and mutual understanding. His wishes are not unwelcome in the wake of recent unrest in Northwest China where the story is set. But time and time again, he interrupts the pace of the film with empty speeches without actually reaching the audience. In fact, the 7-year-old actor Jozef Waite has better chance of winning people's heart with a touching song than Chan's sincere words.So, now comparing the similar emotional encounters, I recognise the changes in my own thinking over the years. No longer the innocent idealist who thought the simplest manifest of good will was enough to deserve a good turn, now I've realised that action speaks louder than words and nothing promotes mutual understanding better than common interest. The most effective way to foster understanding and promote stability in the border region is to bring prosperity to the locals, and to achieve that we'll have to rely more on investment in the "Silk Road Economic Belt" project than on Jackie Chan's honourable persistence in the movie industry. Anyone can be a willing member of the Silk Road Protection Squad if they have a stake in the joint venture.

This is NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Liu Yan in Beijing.The annual two sessions of China's top legislature and top national advisory body are being held this month.The sessions hear reports on the overall condition of the nation, chart its agenda for this year and outline foreign policies. It is also an opportunity for the world to watch the oriental country.Since their birth, the two sessions have often had global relevance.The first Constitution of the People's Republic of China was approved at the first National People's Congress in 1954. It established the fundamental socialist system, a significant move in the Cold War era.During the Cultural Revolution, which started in the 1960s, lawless chaos engulfed the nation and the two sessions lay dormant. This instability sent shock-waves across the globe.The two sessions endorsed the reform and opening-up measures initiated by the Communist Party of China in the late 1970s. Since then, the world has watched China ushering in an era of rapid economic expansion.The world's second largest economy, China has established itself as a dominant trading partner of over 100 countries, and has become a net capital exporter.Some use the term "pivoting everywhere" to describe China's growing political clout, as it has actively sought ties with countries across the globe.This is NEWS Plus Special English.The release of a list of names of generals who have been investigated or convicted recently hints at what is to come from the People's Liberation Army's counter-corruption drive this year.The list featured 14 senior officers from several military commands including Chengdu in southwest China, Shenyang in the Northeast, and Shanxi in northern China. It also includes members of the navy, air force, second artillery corps, the Army General Staff Headquarters, the National Defense University and the Academy of Military Sciences.Deputy political commissar of the Zhejiang provincial military command Guo Zhenggang was put under investigation by the military last month for suspected "serious legal violations and criminal offenses".The announcement came just one day ahead of "two sessions", the annual meetings of the top legislature and the political advisory body. It drew great attention to China's intensified counter-corruption drive.This is the second time the People's Liberation Army have publicized the names of corrupt officers "in bulk". On Jan. 15, the army announced that 16 corrupt senior military officials were put under investigation last year. This is NEWS Plus Special English.Chinese exhibitors are promoting tours along the renowned Silk Road during the Berlin International Tourism Fair in Germany.Tourism sectors and corporate exhibitors from 19 provincial-level regions in China are in Berlin to showcase China's rich tourism industry.Berlin International Tourism Fair is the world's leading travel trade fair. This year, China has presented globe-trotting enthusiasts and travel professionals with a mix of old and new, as well as a glimpse of China's charming beauty.China's initiatives on building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road were promoted by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013.Known as the Belt and Road Initiatives, the Silk Road Economic Belt is to be established along the ancient Silk Road trade route, while the new Maritime Silk Road will run through the country's south to Southeast Asia. The general goal of the Silk Road tour in the fair is to create international boutique travel routes and tourism products characterized by the Silk Road. It also aims to create the world's leading travel brands, and comprehensively promote the establishment of tourism cooperation mechanisms.You are listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Liu Yan in Beijing.China has been studying the technical feasibility of exploring Mars and asteroids.Ye Peijian from the Chinese Academy of Space Technology is chief scientist with the country's lunar probe mission. He says China's space researchers have tackled some of the most difficult technical issues associated with the exploration of Mars.However, he says, the projects are only at the technical preparation stage, which suggests that it will still be some time before an official project starts.The scientist is an vocal advocate for a China Mars mission. He says that if the project was given the green light, the probe should orbit, land, and explore the surface of Mars all in one mission.He says as a developing country, China should narrow its focus to the exploration of certain planets and asteroids.An earlier report showed a feasibility study on China's first Mars mission had been completed. In November last year, a model of a Mars rover prototype was displayed at the China Airshow in Zhuhai in Guangdong Province.

This is NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Yun Feng in Beijing. Here is the news.Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli has urged development of the Yangtze River economic belt as it serves both regional and national economic growth.Zhang made the remarks while presiding over a meeting in Beijing on developing the belt. He said scientific planning and better coordination should be realized in developing the Yangtze River Economic Belt, which holds "strategic significance" in China's regional economic landscape.Eleven provinces and municipalities are included in the Yangtze economic belt, including Shanghai, Chongqing and Yunnan in southwest China. The belt along China's longest river covers more than 2 million square kilometers, one fifth of the country.Zhang stressed on environmental protection in developing the Yangtze belt, saying the central government shall work closely with local governments.He said China must strike a balance between industrial transfer and environmental protection. Low-level and polluting projects should be avoided.Zhang said the development of Yangtze River Economic Belt should work together with China's "Belt and Road" Initiative, which promises improved openness.The "Belt and Road" refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiative created by China to better cooperate with countries in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.This is NEWS Plus Special English.Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has issued a message for the Chinese New Year of Sheep, praising Chinese Australians for their contribution to the country.In the message, Abbott said Sheep symbolizes success achieved through quiet fortitude, which illustrates the nature of Australia's Chinese community.He also recalled the history of first Chinese coming to Australia during the gold rush years. Thousands of Chinese joined the gold rushes from the 1850s. There were Chinese fighting the the battle in Turkey during the First World War.Abbot said that today, China is Australia's greatest trading partner and the largest source of migrants and international students. Australians of Chinese ancestry have helped to build a modern Australia in every part of life in the country.Abbott quoted Chinese President Xi Jinping's words during Xi's recent visit to Australia, saying that if you want to walk fast, walk alone; if you want to walk far, walk together.He noted that the two countries concluded the historic China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, which will provide more jobs, more growth and more investment in Australia.The Lunar New Year falls on Feb. 19. This year. It is the largest festival celebrated by the Chinese around the world. Australia is known for its large-scale celebrations of the festival, including the annual twilight parade in Sydney, which alone attracts more than 100,000 visitors.This is NEWS Plus Special English.In a related development, Sydney once again provides most of the fireworks, and Sydney's iconic Opera House has revealed an ancient Chinese fable, making a scene-stealing appearance in the Year of the Sheep.Meanwhile, the Twilight Parade and the spectacular Dragon Races appear to be playing second fiddle to the prospect of giant-size Lanterns of Terra-cotta Warriors flooding the Sydney Harbor Bridge.For the first time in Australia, this exhibition of Terra-cotta Warriors features 90 ancient Chinese warriors standing well over two meters in height, lighting up Sydney's Harbor, the center of the Chinese New Year celebrations.But the Year of the Sheep will continue to transfix people in Sydney when Monkey-King's Journey to the West enjoy a two week run at the Opera House between April 4 and 19. Journey to the West is a fusion of acrobatics, song, puppetry and martial arts. The show will further satiate Sydney's growing appetite for Chinese classical mythology.Chinese New Year celebrations, the Spring Festival, take place across the country in February, with festivities in Sydney kicking off on Feb. 13.

Joining our program to talk about these topics is the Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat Dr. Alan Bollard. Before heading the Singapore-based APEC Secretariat, Dr. Bollard served as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand as well as the nation's Treasury Secretary. And he's with us on the phone. Host: As you know, China has assumed the chairmanship of APEC 2014. Then, what difference does it make? What implications does China's chairmanship have for China, the other APEC economies and the rest of the world? Bollard: China is hosting APEC this year, and it's been a very busy, very active year with a number of important initiatives for boosting trade, investment and sustainable growth agreed and more still to come. It's been a year when APEC has been invigorated. Trade ministers from the region will meet in Beijing, and they will sign off on more initiatives to strengthen our economies, job creation and wages, and those will all go to the economic leader's meeting in another week for them to be announced. It's been a year when APEC has been invigorated. It's been a year when we had a lot of meetings and a record number of ministerial meetings. They've all been organized very well and very thoroughly. We still have more to do, but I am hopeful that we will deliver policies that will specifically address infrastructure investment and connectivity gaps to ensure that people and goods can move around the Asia-Pacific more cheaply and easily, for example. Within some of policies being worked out, China has been quite innovative in terms of looking for new drivers for growth. We know that, in the past, APEC growth was driven by strong trade growth. Since the global financial crisis, trade growth has slowed down so we're looking for new growth drivers in the region. Host: Let's talk about the FTAAP and the trade landscape in the Asia-Pacific. You know, the FTAAP has been talked about for many years, but has not progressed as fast as some regional FTAs, such as the US-led TPP and the ASEAN-led RCEP. So, based on your inside knowledge and expertise, the proposed FTAAP, TPP and RCEP, which one do you think will be the future? Bollard: Well, I think that depends on how far you look. I know that China is doing a lot of work, looking at the FTAAP. FTAAP has been cited as a possibility for some years, but really at the moment it's only a vision, and we want to work out what it might actually mean. We know that it's a long-term objective. It won't suddenly reach FTAAP. But we do see that as being the big goal out into the future. China this year would like to bring FTAAP to our attention, and probably agree to work on a study that will help us understand what it means; when we might achieve it; how we might achieve it; and what paths would be followed to get there; could this be the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), or a different stepping stone. It's still a work in progress. Host: But for the benefits of the entire Asia-Pacific region, in your opinion, which trade pact should the 21 APEC economies really engage in, regardless of any political factors? Bollard: Well, they have all seen it. They said in the past that we are moving towards FTAAP. That's already been said. But we don't know enough about what that means yet, and China wants to clarify all that. At the moment, the only negotiations are RCEP and TPP. Indeed, we cannot be sure about what those mean, because it's still too early to know what's in the material. Maybe TPP will be concluded this year, but it's still not secure. Host: Just as you said, the FTAAP is certainly still a vision, but do you think it's feasible? Bollard: Yes, but it will take some time, and it will take a lot of commitment from leaders for us to get there. So, I think it is achievable, but it will be somewhere in the future. What is quite possible is that TPP and RCEP will both need to be concluded first. Host: Alright, let's move on to the topic about China's New Silk Road strategy. As you know, Chinese President Xi Jinping has proposed a so-called "One Belt and One Road" initiative, which is meant to strengthen cooperation and economic ties between China and its neighboring countries. So, what're your thoughts on this initiative? Bollard: I think that's very much in line with APEC's initiatives for connectivity, which means physically connecting our trade routes, and addressing more complex structural barriers to make it easier for goods, services and people to get across borders. I expect it will make use of some APEC trade facilitation measures like the introduction of electronic forms and customs single windows that reduce red tape at borders so that those sorts of initiatives can happen. It isn't an APEC initiative; it's a Chinese government's initiative. But it's very much in line with what we are trying to do. Host: So, what opportunities do you think the Silk Road Economic Belt will bring to China and the other APEC economies? Bollard: At the moment, most trade opportunities are around the Pacific Rim, but when you start recovering and growing again, there will be a strong demand for the export of merchandise and other goods from East Asia. At the moment, most of that goes via the Malacca Straits, between Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. But people are looking for new possible trade routes and if those across China can be competitive, then there will be a lot of demand for services for them. Host: Lastly, I know you've travelled to China multiple times this year because of the APEC meetings. So, would you care to share with us some of your personal experience here in China? Your impressions about the country? Bollard: Ok. Well, this year I have come to China maybe a dozen times for a lot of meetings. It's been a very interesting experien