Here comes the golden autumn when the sky is clear and the air is crisp. The third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was held in Beijing from October 17 to 18. President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the forum and delivered a keynote speech entitled “Building an Open, Inclusive and Interconnected World For Common Development.”
During his address, President Xi Jinping comprehensively summarized the achievements and experiences of the Belt and Road Initiative over the past ten years. He announced China's support for eight actions aimed at promoting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. President Xi advocated that all parties should continue to uphold the spirit of the Silk Road, advance Belt and Road cooperation into a new phase of high-quality development, and work tirelessly to achieve modernization in countries worldwide.
The School of International Education organized on-campus international students to watch the opening ceremony and study President Xi Jinping's important speech. Our international students were engaged in in-depth discussions and enthusiastic conversations regarding the Belt and Road Initiative, combining personal observations and learning experiences.
Kevin from Gabon shared that within the Belt and Road framework, the Chinese government has been helping African countries in constructing and upgrading infrastructure, such as railways and highways. An iconic project in Gabon is the completion and opening of the Port-Gentil to Omboué coastal road, which put an end to Port-Gentil's historical reliance on sea and air transport for external connections. He expressed that many of Gabon's significant infrastructure projects depend on China's support and hopes that the friendship between China and Gabon will last forever.
Although Muneeb, a student from Pakistan, has only been in China for a little over a month, his lifelong dream was to come to China for studies. All three of his sisters are pursuing degrees at universities in China. Muneeb expressed that in Pakistan, from household items to automobiles, the influence of Chinese products can be seen everywhere. Projects like Gwadar Port, the Karot Hydropower Station, China-Pakistan Friendship Hospital, and Faqirwali Primary School are all vivid demonstrations of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. He emphasized that the all-weather friendship between China and Pakistan is deeply rooted in the hearts of the Pakistani people.
The foundation of international relations is people-to-people connections, and heart-to-heart connections are fostered through education. As active practitioners of the Belt and Road Initiative, the School of International Education always adheres to Xi Jinping's Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as a guide. We place great emphasis on the ideological education of international students, focusing on guiding their thoughts and academic development. We have established distinctive Chinese courses, such as "Chinese + Architecture" and "Chinese + Engineering Management," to promote international Chinese language education. By integrating our students' Chinese language learning with professional skills, personal growth with national missions, and individual responsibilities with social duties, we are cultivating international talents who understand and love China, contributing to the Belt and Road Initiative and the construction of a community with a shared future for humanity.
