Xinhua rolls out Belt and Road platform

The Xinhua News Agency rolled out a line of information products on Thursday to help global partners benefit from China's trans-Eurasia and across-ocean trade strategy.

The "Xinhua Silk Road" platform, which consists of four Internet-based services, aims to promote trade and investment cooperation among governments and companies along the Belt and Road Initiative, according to Cai Mingzhao, president of Xinhua News Agency.

The initiative is put forward by China to reinvigorate the ancient Silk Road trade route, linking Asia with Europe and extending to more than 60 countries and regions.

"A wide array of differences exist among these countries and the Xinhua Silk Road platform is here to bridge differences, facilitate communications and promote trade as well as investment, " Cai said.

The Internet-based package services include a database that introduces the economic, social and legal environments of the 60 countries and regions, which officials said China has a limited knowledge of.

"After three decades of reform and opening-up, we have a deeper understanding of big Western countries. But as for our neighboring countries in the Belt and Road Initiative region, we still know little about them," said Ou Xiaoli, an official with the State Council's working group on the Belt and Road Initiative.

Xinhua also launched a credit information service to help companies find the most trustworthy partners. It will offer credit and risk assessment reports on countries, companies and investment projects.

Other innovative features involve a deal-making platform to speed up online business negotiations, and a consulting and think-tank service, which provides clients with personalized decision-making consultations.

Ma Si contributed to this story.