BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) — The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a high-quality public good initiated by China and jointly built by all partners, with its benefits shared by the world, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said Tuesday.
Speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of the first session of the 14th National People’s Congress, Qin said the BRI has attracted the participation of over three-fourths of countries in the world and 32 international organizations.
Over the past decade, the BRI has brought nearly a trillion U.S. dollars of investment, established over 3,000 cooperation projects, created some 420,000 jobs in countries along the routes and helped lift nearly 40 million people out of poverty, according to Qin.
Responding to allegations that the BRI can lead to debt traps, Qin said it is never China that should be accused of creating the so-called debt traps, citing data that multilateral financial institutions and commercial creditors account for over 80 percent of developing countries’ sovereign debt.
China will host the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation this year and will take it as an opportunity and work with all parties for more fruitful outcomes from the Belt and Road cooperation, Qin said.
