From May to September each year, the southwest monsoon prevails in the Indian Ocean and blows to Yunnan, China.

In September, Kunming, Yunnan, the temperature is suitable and the breeze is coming. Guests from afar experience "there is a kind of life called Yunnan" in a convenient and easy-to-residence manner.

On September 16, the 2025 "Belt and Road" Media Cooperation Forum was held in Kunming. "Assing the responsibility of the media and promoting exchanges and mutual learning", the original intention of the forum is exactly the same as the vivid practice of Yunnan, the organizer, to deeply integrate into the high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road".

At the opening ceremony of the forum that morning, Wang Ning, Secretary of the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee, said in his speech that Yunnan actively serves and integrates into the high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road" and accelerates the construction of China's radiation center facing South Asia and Southeast Asia. The former border end has become an important frontier for China's opening to the south. Yunnan's road to opening up is getting wider and wider. The most important support and strongest engine are the practical results of the "Belt and Road". From the practice of Yunnan in the "Belt and Road", we have a deeper understanding that this major initiative has developed China, blessed Yunnan, and benefited the world, and has a strong appeal.

Yunnan Provincial Party Secretary Wang Ning delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. Source: Yunnan Daily

It is more of a situational story than a speech. Wang Ning chose an intuitive way - through 4 sets of photos, he shared the Yunnan practice of the "Belt and Road" with the guests and media reporters.

The first group of photos, the theme is win-win cooperation

In July, the China-Laos Railway launched the "Zhenghe" train, which was transported by sea-high and railways, shortening the transportation time from Yunnan to the Indian Ocean by 17 days, greatly improving efficiency.

More than 600 years ago, Zheng He voyaged seven times in the West, and the farthest to Kenya, Africa, brought Chinese silk, porcelain, and tea along the way, and brought back spices, gems and wood, which became an eternal story on the Maritime Silk Road.

Today's "Zhenghe" train will go directly to Vientiane, Laos along the China-Laos Railway, and then connect to Linchaban Port, Thailand via highway, and finally arrive in Singapore by sea. The train is named "Zheng He", which is exactly the way to carry forward the past and open up the future.

In the four years since the China-Laos Railway was opened and operated, freight has covered 19 countries and transported more than 3,300 kinds of goods. Through this steel wire road, Yunnan's flowers, fruits, vegetables, etc. are continuously transported to Southeast Asia. Durian, mango, mango, etc. from South Asia and Southeast Asia can also quickly arrive in Yunnan. Kunming has become an important tropical fruit distribution center in China.

The "Belt and Road" is a road of win-win cooperation. As long as we use our strengths, benefit each other, and deepen pragmatic cooperation, we will surely achieve common prosperity and development.

The second group of photos, the theme is to benefit the people

On November 22, 2003, a friendly provincial relationship was established. Yunnan Province, China and Bali Province, Indonesia, were good friends who had been with each other for 22 years.

From May 15 to 18 this year, Wang Ning led a friendly delegation from Yunnan Province to visit Indonesia, and attended the launch ceremony of the Bali Province Organic Rice Cultivation and Ecological Agricultural and Tourism Cooperation Demonstration Project. The project provides rice seeds, agricultural machinery and technical training from Yunnan.

Is the project good? Last year, more than 250 acres of Yunnan rice seeds were trial planted locally, with a 12% increase in yield that year and a 30% increase in income. Increased production and income gave local farmers confidence. When Wang Ning communicated with local farmers, they were all very happy, gave a thumbs up, and sincerely thanked China for its help.

There are many similar projects. Yunnan has implemented nearly 600 "small and beautiful" projects in 17 neighboring countries. Some have screened and treated children with congenital heart disease, some have undergone eye restoration surgery for cataract patients, and some have built safe drinking water projects for local people...Millions of people benefit from it.

Wang Ning also shared the story of China-Equatorial Guinea Friendship Primary School.

This primary school, located in Jinping County, Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province, is the result of the cooperation and construction of the two sides on the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Equatorial Guinea 10 years ago. It has now become a witness to the deep friendship between the two countries. Just in early September, a journalist friend from Equatorial Guinea came to this primary school specifically to sing and dance happily with the children and share friendship.

The seeds of harvest and the seeds of friendship continue to bloom and bear fruit.

The "Belt and Road" is a road that benefits the people. As long as we adhere to the people first and work together to promote the elimination of poverty, increase employment and improve people's livelihood, people from all countries will surely live a better and happier life.

The third group of photos, the theme is to know each other and get married

More than 700 years ago, Italian traveler Marco Polo praised Kunming as a "magnificent city" in his travel notes, introducing the beauty of Yunnan to the world.

Today, Vincent from France also fell in love with China and Yunnan because of travel. Vincent has lived in Yunnan for 10 years and has become an Yunnan son-in-law. He and his wife opened a restaurant on the banks of Cuihu Lake in Kunming. The store has French flavors such as red wine and bread, as well as Yunnan delicacies such as wild mushrooms and small coffee.

Vincent also has his own "travel notes". Through social media, he shares his wonderful lives such as visiting the ancient city, making mooncakes, writing Spring Festival couplets, and introducing China's history, culture, food culture, folk culture, etc. to friends at home and abroad.

In Yunnan, there are many such "civilian envoys". They have promoted cultural exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations, and attracted more international friends to come to Yunnan and understand China. In 2024, Yunnan received more than 6 million overseas tourists, and many of them stayed here to live and became new Yunnan people and happy people.

The "Belt and Road" is a path to get to know each other and get on blind dates. As long as we respect each other and learn from each other, we will surely make our circle of friends bigger and more good partners.

The fourth group of photos, the theme is to watch over each other

On March 28, a strong earthquake occurred in Myanmar, and there was a clear tremor in many places in Yunnan. China-Myanmar Phabo means compatriots or relatives. Myanmar is affected by the disaster, and Yunnan empathizes with it.

In accordance with the unified deployment of the central government, Yunnan responded to the order and formed a rescue medical team of 37 people to rush to Myanmar on the night of the 29th. Afterwards, another 50 people were sent to participate in the disaster relief and transported 87 tons of disaster relief supplies.

The Yunnan Medical Rescue Team in China is the first international rescue team to arrive in Myanmar and rescue survivors. It transported the first batch of international rescue materials, demonstrating China's speed and responsibility as a major country.

Taking the risk of aftershocks and 40 degrees of high temperature, the rescue work is very difficult. But when I heard the Burmese citizens say "Thank you China" in unskilled Chinese, and when I took the cups of clear water they handed over, the rescue team members felt endless energy again.

Time goes back to the early stages of the fight against the epidemic. At that time, Yunnan was short of masks and protective clothing. Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and other countries donated more than 1.7 million masks and more than 8,000 sets of protective clothing to Yunnan. Afterwards, Yunnan gave back vaccines and more epidemic prevention materials.

These stories of walking together through thick and thin are warm and precious.

The "Belt and Road" is a road of mutual help. As long as we work together and share weal and woe, we will definitely be able to overcome all kinds of difficulties and challenges, and jointly create a better future through unity and cooperation.

"Hard Unicom" and "soft Unicom" are for "heart Unicom".

The Silk Road crosses mountains and seas, and the media connects the voices of the heart. Wang Ning said that the above four sets of photos are all from the media and are vivid practices and fruitful results of jointly building the "Belt and Road". I sincerely hope that the majority of media friends will use lenses and brushstrokes to record more moving moments, tell more stories about the Silk Road, and contribute the wisdom and strength of the media to the high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road" and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.