As time goes by, the Silk Road has experienced tremendous changes and ushered in new development opportunities. In September and October 2013, when President Xi Jinping visited Kazakhstan and ASEAN countries, he successively proposed cooperation initiatives to build the "Silk Road Economic Belt" and the "21st Century Maritime Silk Road". The construction of the "Belt and Road" is a major strategic concept proposed by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as General Secretary with an eye to upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics and realizing the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Losing no opportunity to promote the implementation of this strategic concept will certainly open up new situations and create new opportunities for the realization of the Chinese Dream, and will certainly inject more new momentum and new vitality into the World Dream.

Strategic measures to achieve peaceful development

The history of the world since modern times is, in a sense, an "iron-blooded history" of the rise of Western powers through force. The Communist Party of China leads the people to break the old historical logic that "a strong country must seek hegemony" and adhere to the path of peaceful development. Comrade Xi Jinping emphasized: "China has entered the decisive stage of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. Achieving this goal is a key step in realizing the Chinese dream of great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." At this critical stage, we face unprecedented pressure and resistance. The "Belt and Road" strategic concept is a major decision made by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as General Secretary at the critical stage of China's transformation from big to strong. Promoting the implementation of this decision will surely play an important strategic supporting role in China's peaceful development.

A major-country strategy to promote peaceful development. "One Belt, One Road" is a road to peace. Asia is the region with the most vitality and potential for development in the world today, and is also a focus of current international strategic competition and gaming. Faced with the intertwined security situation of neighboring territorial sovereignty disputes, geopolitical competition between major powers, ethnic and religious conflicts and other issues, my country adheres to the concept of "amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness", actively advocates a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable Asian security concept, and points out a path to Asian security that is co-constructed, shared and win-win. The construction of the "Belt and Road" will help relevant countries promote common security through cooperation, effectively manage differences and disputes, promote coordination and harmony in relations between countries, and enable countries along the route to embark on the path of peaceful development. At the same time, it is of great significance to ensure my country's strategic security, expand strategic space, stabilize energy supply, ensure economic security, and break through the strategic encirclement that contains my country.

An effective platform to achieve strategic collaboration among countries. Political mutual trust and strategic alignment between countries are crucial to promoting peaceful development. Comrade Xi Jinping emphasized: "Be honest with each other, not afraid of differences, not avoiding problems, fully communicating on their respective foreign policies and development strategies, enhancing political mutual trust, and promoting strategic docking." During his visit to Russia, Comrade Xi Jinping expressed that Russia is welcome to participate in the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the Maritime Silk Road, making it a new platform for the development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. During his visit to Europe, he further pointed out that we should build a bridge of common prosperity among civilizations to connect the two major civilizations of China and Europe. These initiatives have been endorsed and responded positively by the heads of state interviewed. "One Belt, One Road" is a road to win-win cooperation that benefits all parties. It is an effective platform for my country to achieve strategic docking with other major countries and achieve strategic collaboration between countries.

A civilizational carrier that carries the spirit of the Silk Road. Promoting China's peaceful development requires not only the support of economic and trade cooperation with other countries, but also the promotion of cultural exchanges. Comrade Xi Jinping pointed out: “People-to-people connectivity is an important part and key foundation of the Belt and Road Initiative.” “For thousands of years, the Silk Road’s spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning, and mutual benefit has been passed down from generation to generation.” He stressed that carrying forward the Silk Road spirit means promoting mutual learning among civilizations, respecting road choices, adhering to win-win cooperation, and advocating dialogue and exchanges. The strategic concept of "One Belt, One Road" involves dozens of countries and billions of people. These countries have created civilizations of different shapes and styles in history. To build the "Belt and Road", we need to inherit and carry forward the "Silk Road Spirit", fully explore the profound historical and cultural resources of the countries along the route, actively play the role of cultural exchanges and cooperation, and promote the common development of different civilizations. This will effectively promote the formation of a grand event of contemporary civilizational exchanges in which "the five colors complement each other and the eight-note ensemble brings harmony and peace", creating a good environment for the peaceful development of China and the world.

Strategic planning to create an upgraded version of China’s economy

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, my country's economic development has entered a stage of transformation and upgrading. The key to creating an upgraded version and giving birth to "Another Spring" is to further release the dividends of deepening reform and opening up. The construction of the "One Belt and One Road" is an important part of comprehensively deepening reforms. It is a pragmatic move to promote economic structural adjustment through wider opening up and promote economic development through internal and external cooperation. It is a major strategic move to comply with the requirements of my country's economic transformation and upgrading.

New deepening of opening up to the outside world. Since the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, my country's opening up has gradually expanded from point to line, from line to surface, from south to north, and from east to west. From the establishment of special economic zones to the opening of coastal port cities to the opening of coastal economic open zones, from promoting the opening up of riverside, border and inland provinces to formally joining the World Trade Organization, the breadth and depth of my country's opening to the outside world have continued to expand. The construction of the "One Belt and One Road" is a new round of opening up promoted by our party with new concepts under the conditions of the era of profound changes in the international and domestic situation. It is conducive to realizing domestic and international interactive cooperation and the mutual promotion of internal opening and external opening, thereby making better use of the two markets and two resources, expanding development space and releasing development potential.

A new engine for economic transformation. Since the outbreak of the international financial crisis, market demand in developed countries has significantly weakened, and the development of my country's export-oriented economy has been subject to certain constraints. At the same time, after my country's economy has experienced long-term rapid growth, structural contradictions and the pressure of overcapacity have become prominent. The construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt is a new engine for building an upgraded version of China's economy. It can form a new Asia-Europe trade channel and economic development belt, drive my country's inland border opening to the west, and expand the space for economic development in the west. The construction of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road is a new fulcrum for creating an upgraded version of the eastern economy. It can drive coastal areas to optimize their foreign trade structure, promote economic transformation and upgrading, reduce pressure on resources and the environment, and form a new situation of coordinated development with Southeast Asian countries.

A new expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation. Development potential is development space. The greater the development potential, the greater the development space. Complementarity means mutual benefit. The stronger the complementarity of development endowments, the more convergence points of mutually beneficial and win-win interests. The countries and regions related to the “Belt and Road Initiative” have strong development potential and are highly complementary to my country’s economic development. From a global perspective, regional cooperation in Asia and neighboring countries is relatively lagging behind. For example, infrastructure construction is not connected, not connected, or not smooth, which restricts the further development of regional cooperation. The "Belt and Road" initiative promotes connectivity on land and sea respectively and expands open channels, which can enable relevant countries to deepen regional cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, and give strong wings to the overall revitalization of Asia. Strengthening policy communication, road connectivity, unimpeded trade, currency circulation, people-to-people bonds, and finding points of convergence of interests can maximize the effective docking of economic development strategies and gradually form a new pattern of regional cooperation.

The strategic link connecting the Chinese Dream and the World Dream

Comrade Xi Jinping emphasized that the Chinese dream is a dream of peace, development, cooperation, and win-win, and is closely connected with the beautiful dreams of people of all countries; the Chinese people are willing to work with people of all countries to realize the world dream. The “Belt and Road Initiative” more closely links the Chinese dream with the world dream, and is a strategic link for the people of relevant countries to build their dreams.

Chinese wisdom that creates strategic opportunities. Due to the important geographical advantages, rich natural resources and broad development prospects along the Silk Road, relevant countries have proposed strategic concepts for this region in recent years. The most influential ones include Japan's "Silk Road Diplomatic Strategy", Russia and India's "North-South Corridor Plan", the EU's "New Silk Road Plan" and the United States' "New Silk Road Strategy". The trade liberalization strategies or regional economic cooperation plans of major countries in the world for this region have created opportunities for my country to implement the "Belt and Road" strategy. Comrade Xi Jinping emphasized that we must turn the world's opportunities into China's opportunities, turn China's opportunities into the world's opportunities, and forge ahead in the positive interaction, mutual benefit and win-win between China and other countries. The construction of the "Belt and Road" can give full play to the role of existing mechanisms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, ASEAN "10 1", and the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, promote the orderly and free flow and optimal allocation of economic factors in the region, and drive the economic transformation and development of countries along the route. This can not only create good conditions for realizing the Chinese Dream, but also radiate "China dividends" to relevant countries and regions and achieve the docking and convergence of strategic opportunities. More importantly, the "Belt and Road" construction can form a "triple pillar" situation with the European Union and the North American Free Trade Area, accelerate the formation of a new international economic pattern, and then have a profound impact on economic globalization.

China is responsible for building a community with a shared future for the world. In recent years, the world's multi-polarization and economic globalization have developed in depth, and countries around the world have become more and more closely connected, creating a situation where you are among us and you are among us. The number of Chinese citizens and companies going overseas has hit new highs. The Belt and Road Initiative is not an area where China’s interests are exclusive, but an area where the interests of all countries are shared. The construction of the "One Belt and One Road" fully demonstrates China's spirit of daring to take responsibility and its attitude of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. It will help my country work with countries along the route to promote cooperation in politics, economy, trade, humanities, and security to a new level, and jointly build a community of interests, a community of destiny, and a community of responsibility based on political mutual trust, economic integration, and cultural tolerance, and truly make the Chinese dream and the world dream complement each other.

Promote the practice of Chinese morality with a correct view of justice and benefit. Under the new situation, China actively advocates a correct view of justice and interests. Politically, China upholds fairness and justice, insists on equal treatment, abides by the basic principles of international relations, opposes hegemonism and power politics, and opposes harming the interests of others and undermining regional peace and stability for its own selfish interests. Economically, China adheres to mutual benefit, win-win and common development. The construction of the "Belt and Road" is a practical measure for China to practice the correct concept of justice and interests, which not only safeguards and realizes the fundamental interests of its own people, but also takes into account the common interests of relevant countries and regions. Such propositions and actions conform to the hearts of the world, demonstrate the right path in the world, win widespread recognition, build a bridge that closely connects the Chinese dream and the world dream, and compose a new chapter of dream pursuit.

(Author’s unit: Research Center for Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, National Defense University)

"People's Daily" (Page 07, December 24, 2014)