05 Aug 2019

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has become a popular international public product and has received endorsement from the international community, Ambassador of China, Dr Zhao Yanbo, has said.

Speaking at the first China-Botswana Public Diplomacy Forum recently, he said the core values of BRI were not only China’s perspective on a new type of international relations, “but also the common aspiration of the international community.”

The BRI is a Chinese diplomatic economic instrument to promote connectivity and economic development through trade and investment. 

This global development strategy involves infrastructure development and investments in more than 100 countries and international organisations in Africa, Asia, Europe, Americas and Middle East. So far, he said more than 130 countries and 30 international organisations had signed the BRI cooperation agreements with China.

At present, Ambassador Zhao said, 37 African countries and the African Union Commission had signed cooperation documents and participated in the initiative.

“With BRI, I believe we are able to make the cake bigger, so that everyone can have a bigger share,” he added.
He said a public diplomacy was important, because it was about exchanging ideas, building trust and making friends and thanked Kgosi Puso and Batswana for their support to the development of China-Botswana friendship.

“And as our bilateral relations have entered a new era, there is no better time than now to have such a forum and for our two sides to better understand each other and come face to face on how we can better our friendship,” Ambassador Zhao said.

He encouraged speakers and participants at the forum to make a long term perspective and a strategic approach to contribute collective wisdom to strengthening the bond between Botswana and China.  

CPDA vice president, Mr Liu Biwei, said Botswana was an important partner and a reliable friend of China.

He said China welcomed Botswana’s active participation in BRI construction and the two were ready to work together to implement the outcomes of FOCAC Beijing Summit ‘and jointly build a community of shared future for benefits both peoples.’

Chairperson of Botswana-China Friendship Association and also Ntlo ya Dikgosi chairperson, Kgosi Puso said the diplomatic relations between Botswana and China had seen cooperation agreements signed between the two countries.

“The relationship is simply guided by the principle of respect for each other, non-interference in each other’s affairs, mutual understanding, friendship, cultural exchange, people-to-people friendship, win-win cooperation and understanding that no single model of government is perfect, but rather what is important is what works best for you,” he said.

For Botswana and China to derive maximum benefit from their friendship, Kgosi Puso said there was need for the two to know each other’s values and culture better, exchange ideas and knowledge and discuss how best to improve on their partnership and cooperation.

“Opportunities are plenty out there and it is up to us gathered here, to exploit and make use of these opportunities availed to us by the friendship that exists between Botswana and China,” he said.

For that reason, he said “this forum came at an opportune time and it is then for us to use it to openly share ideas and come up with valuable opinions and expressions, and address any existing gaps, that could assist in terms of strengthening the rich bond and ties that exists between our two countries.”

Through FOCAC and BRI, Kgosi Puso said China had opened doors for accelerated development of the African continent, adding that BRI was devoted to fostering a new international cooperation framework.

The initiative, he said, helped to promote an open world economy by save-guarding world peace and stability and adapting the BRI to the times, so as to inject new vitality to the spirit of the ancient silk road featuring peaceful cooperation, openness, inclusiveness, mutual learning and win-win outcomes.

As an international public good, Kgosi Puso said BRI was about building a community that promoted common development of China and the rest of the world as well as building a community of shared future for humanity.

“In other words, China is not selfish. China wants to share with the rest of the world. China wants to develop the rest of the world,” he added. ENDS