Over 90 countries to participate in China's Belt and Road Initiative

China has said that 90 countries have confirmed attendance for the country’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) conference to be held in October in Beijing.

As this month marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative, the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday announced that the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) will see the presence of 90 countries in Beijing next month.

"So far, representatives from more than 90 countries have confirmed their participation. Among them are leaders, ministers, and other official representatives of Belt and Road partner countries, as well as people from various fields, including the business community, think tanks, and civil society who actively support and participate in the Belt and Road cooperation," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said.

"Heads and representatives of many international organizations have also confirmed their attendance. It is believed that more partners will confirm their participation in the next few days," she added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to visit  China in October to attend the One Belt One Road forum, Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov said recently, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

"We have received an invitation and plan to go to China," Ushakov said, according to a report from the Global Times.

Several other foreign leaders including Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Argentine President Alberto Fernandez are also scheduled to attend the BRF, Chinese state media reported.

China's Foreign Ministry said the country has signed Belt and Road cooperation documents with more than 150 countries and over 30 international organizations, Xinhua, the Chinese official news agency published.

"Over the past decade, Belt and Road cooperation has achieved fruitful outcomes," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin recently said at a press conference.

Wang added that the initiative has established more than 3,000 cooperation projects and galvanized nearly $1 trillion of investment, the Chinese state media reported.

Earlier this month, China had countered Western media claims of some European countries refusing participation in this year’s BRF, insisting that they were not invited in the first place.

China had said that most of the leaders invited this year were from developing nations.

The Chinese BRF initiative has been presented by Chinese President Xi Jinping as the revival of the ancient Silk Road for trade between the East and West.

Prior to the COVID pandemic, Belt & Road Forums were held in 2017 and 2019 and drew leaders and officials from dozens of countries. 

More than 150 countries have signed up to take part in Belt and Road since Xi unveiled it in 2013,  most of them in Africa.

ME