Keynote Speech on the Belt and Road Initiative by H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming at the British Parliament: New Stage, New Opportunities, New Role

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Little drops of water make the mighty ocean. BRI development needs collective wisdom and concerted efforts of all partners.

All of you present today have followed and supported China-UK relations. You have taken an active part in the events of the All Party Parliamentary China Group and the APPG for the Belt and Road Initiative and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Thank you for contributing your wisdom and efforts to China-UK cooperation on BRI.

Going forward, I hope you would continue to take part in and support China-UK cooperation on BRI. In particular, I hope you could play an active role in the following three areas.

First, I hope you would be a contributor of China-UK cooperation on rule-setting.

In the coming five years, China will invite 10,000 representatives from BRI partners for exchanges and discussions. They will represent political parties, think tanks and non-governmental organisations.

We look forward to enhancing exchanges with the British Parliament. You are all experts in rule-setting. I hope you would actively support and take part in China-UK dialogues, exchanges and cooperation, and ensure that the UK plays a more constructive role in making the rules governing international cooperation on BRI.

Second, I hope you would be a facilitator of China-UK sub-national exchanges.

Having visited many places in Britain, I feel deeply that China-UK cooperation on BRI could not be possible without the participation and support of different regions.

You represent different constituencies. I hope you would match BRI development with the needs of the regions and people you represent and leverage the strengths of both sides so that more BRI projects could take root and bear fruit in the UK.

Third, I hope you would be a promoter of people-to-people connectivity.

People-to-people bond holds the key to state-to-state relations. The ultimate goal of China-UK cooperation on BRI is to deliver benefits to our people, and the strongest driving force for this cooperation is the support and recognition from our people.

I hope you could tell the British people about the success stories of China-UK cooperation on BRI, so that more people in this country will have a comprehensive understanding of BRI and lend their strong support.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The Chinese people often say, "Do not scream yourself hoarse, but roll up your sleeves." In a similar spirit, the British people say, "Deeds are fruits, words are but leaves."

BRI is not a talking shop. It has a task force of partners that gets things done. BRI is result-oriented. It will bear fruits, not leaves.

As BRI enters a new stage of high-quality development, China stands ready to work with British people from all walks of life to seize the new opportunities and take concrete actions to translate the blueprint into outcomes.

Together we can contribute more "golden fruits" to the China-UK "Golden Era", and deliver more benefits to the people of our two countries and of the whole world!

Thank you!

Now I would like to take your questions.