2023.04.10
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Over the decade, 151 countries and 32 international organizations have joined the BRI, constantly expanding and deepening people-to-people ties. Leveraging the development of the BRI across the past 10 years, the culture and other BRI countries have achieved unprecedented connectivity, adding distinctive BRI characteristics to global cultural diversity. Over the decade, China has signed cooperation agreements or memorandums of understanding (MOUs) on culture and tourism with 142 BRI countries and implemented the important program “Cultural Silk Road”. Its “circle of friends” continues expanding along with the increase of its partners.
On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the BRI, the World Tourism Alliance (WTA) Silk Road Dialogue, jointly hosted by the WTA, Gansu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the Communist Party of China (CPC) Zhangye Municipal Committee, and the Zhangye Municipal Government, will open on the afternoon of April 27 in Zhangye, Gansu Province, with an aim to further consolidate and expand cooperation achievements in the fields of culture and tourism among BRI countries and build a regional tourism communication and coordination platform for countries and regions along the Belt and Road. As an integral part of the 11th Dunhuang Tour—Silk Road International Tourism Festival, the event will invite experts, scholars, and representatives from WTA members, as well as business leaders and government officials, to discuss topics centered around the theme “New Journey of the BRI: Shared Benefits, Win-win Cooperation, and Closer People-to-People Ties”, so as to contribute wisdom to promoting cooperation and development in the areas of culture and tourism among BRI countries.
The BRI reflects Chinese wisdom in responding to the profound changes in the world. Upholding the spirit of open regional cooperation, it is committed to safeguarding a free global trade system and an open world economy. Building the Belt and Road together, which is in line with the fundamental interests of the international community, manifests the common ideals and good aspirations of human society and represents a positive exploration of international cooperation and new global governance models; it is conducive to establishing and strengthening connectivity and partnerships and achieving diversified, independent, balanced, and sustainable development in countries along the routes; it is also conducive to facilitating cultural exchanges and mutual learning between peoples of BRI countries, consolidating people-to-people ties and mutual respect, and enabling them to enjoy a harmonious, peaceful and affluent life together.
As a global platform for exchange and cooperation in tourism, the WTA has long been dedicated to advancing the integrated development of tourism and other industries. A new activity under the WTA “Dialogue” brand, the Silk Road Dialogue is expected to become a regular institutional event under the WTA. In the years to come, the WTA will take active actions to build exchange and dialogue platforms for countries and regions along the Belt and Road, promote regional tourism coordination and cooperation in the nongovernmental dimension, and contribute to high-quality tourism development in BRI countries.
