Published : 2025-05-14

From May 14 to 15, 2017, the first Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was held in Beijing.

The inaugural forum was attended by heads of state and government from 29 countries, as well as more than 1,600 representatives from over 140 countries and more than 80 international organisations.

President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech, emphasising the need to make the Belt and Road a road of peace, prosperity, openness, innovation, and civilisation.

The  forum was fruitful, resulting in more than 270 outcomes covering five categories and 76 major items, including policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and closer people-to-people ties.

In addition, China signed economic and trade cooperation agreements with the governments of 30 countries including Pakistan, Cambodia, Uzbekistan, Belarus, and Ethiopia.

The Ministry of Commerce of China, together with relevant departments from more than 60 countries and international organisations, has issued an initiative to promote cooperation of trade facilitation.