'Belt Initiatives' injects impetus to SCO

Premier Li Keqiang is currently on a march along the Silk Road to promote the China-proposed initiatives regarding the building of the Silk Road Economic Belt along areas covering the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states.[Special coverage]

At Monday's 13th SCO prime ministers' meeting in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan, prime ministers welcomed China's proposal on the Silk Road Economic Belt, saying it was of great significance to start negotiations and cooperation in this regard.

The "Belt and Road Initiatives" will inject new momentum into the SCO, which was established in 2001. Economic cooperation among six member states -- China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan -- has advanced rapidly.

The Silk Road Economic Belt is open and mutually beneficial. China welcomes participation of any country to discuss, establish projects and share profits. Meanwhile, the country is seeking support from SCO member states as it clears the way for the implementation of the initiative.

The initiative to revive the ancient Silk Road from China via Central Asia and Russia to Europe was put forward by President Xi Jinping during a visit to Kazakhstan in September last year, and has since witnessed tangible commitments by China, including a New Silk Road Fund worth $40 billion U.S. dollars set up last month to directly support the initiative.

China has also proposed the establishment of an Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to fund infrastructure projects in Asian countries. Kazakhstan and many other countries have responded positively to the initiative.

Li is the first Chinese government leader visiting countries along the ancient Silk Road since the announcement of the Silk Road Fund. He left Beijing on Sunday and started his visit to three Asian and European countries. He is now in Serbia after wrapping up his visit to Kazakhstan, where a series of cooperative deals were reached between the two countries.

The premier's last foreign visit for 2014 is an important part of the belt initiative strategy. Kazakhstan is a major passage in Eurasia and hopes to link its own development plan to the initiative. China and Kazakhstan have been cooperating well within the framework of the belt initiative.

Boosting connectivity along the ancient Silk Road will bring strategic benefits to countries in the SCO. The establishment of a Eurasian transport corridor in the spirit of the ancient Silk Road will spur trade and investment between Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The Belt could also be interconnected with the Bright Road project, initiated by Kazakhstan to revitalize its economy, and other similar proposals by other countries, Li said, encouraging all SCO members to discuss projects aimed at promoting infrastructure construction and upgrading industries.