Dear colleagues and friends,

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is truly a great pleasure and privilege for me to extend my warm welcome and appreciation to you all for attending the first International Science Forum of National Scientific Organizations on the Belt and Road Initiative on behalf of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and other co-organizers of the Forum. I want to particularly thank the representatives of our co-organizers and all other international delegates and experts for the extra efforts made in travelling to Beijing for the Forum.  Thank you very much.

The Belt and Road Initiative is the biggest overarching international cooperation initiative that the Chinese Government has ever proposed.  It reflects the common aspiration of both China and much of the world for development. With this initiative, China hopes to share development opportunities and experiences with the rest of the world for win-win development and common prosperity. The similar development status and common characteristics between China and much of the world provide tremendous common ground for mutual beneficial cooperation and progress.

This is evident in the significant success and accomplishments that this Initiative has so far made.

There is also an increasing consensus that science and innovation and international scientific cooperation play a more important role in the Belt and Road development.

Science and innovation is a major driver for social economic development. The significant role it plays in this aspect is ever growing in today’s ever-changing economy and rapid transformation of innovation landscapes.

Science and innovation not only holds the promise of solutions to a lot of the complex common scientific challenges in the development of the Belt and Road, but can be of significant value to the upgrade of the capacity and quality of the connectedness and cooperation between China and the countries along the Belt and Road regions in policy, infrastructure, transportation, trade and asset, and people to people dimensions—all the key aspects of emphasis in the development.

Scientific and research organizations, the national entities in particular, should play a leading role in this regard. Scientific organizations and scientists and experts from diverse backgrounds should enhance their efforts and cooperation in developing the communities of common interests, responsibility and goals, and in providing strong scientific basis for the Belt & Road construction.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences is very pleased to ensemble such a distinguished gathering today, which includes heads and representatives of 26 national scientific and research organizations from the Belt and Road regions , heads and representatives of a few international organizations and over 300 international and Chinese scientists, experts and policy-makers, representing altogether 37 countries.

During the Forum, we will discuss and brainstorm how we, the scientific community, can best contribute to the needs of the Belt and Road construction, what mechanisms and modes of cooperation we shall adopt, what the priority areas of cooperation will be, and how to best align the cooperation opportunities between us for mutual benefits and interests.

I truly wish all the discussions will be done in the spirit of the Belt and Road, embodying “openness, inclusiveness, mutual benefit and joint co-development”. I truly wish all the delegates and participants an active engagement in the discussions and contribute your wisdoms and thoughts as much as you can.

While believing the forum will be a wonderful success in broadening common ground and mutual understanding, I want to end here by wishing you all a very enjoyable and productive meeting.

Thank you.