Foreign news

How CIIE And The Belt And Road Initiative Compliment Each Other

Published

4 years ago

November 9, 2020

Editor’s note: Stephen Ndegwa is a Nairobi-based communication expert, lecturer-scholar at the United States International University-Africa, author, and international affairs columnist. The article reflects the author’s opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The third China International Import Expo (CIIE) and a related forum which started on Wednesday evening are underway in Shanghai. Held amid the raging global coronavirus pandemic, the forum is a strong reminder of the fact that with visionary leadership, selflessness and dedication, no challenge is insurmountable.

In his keynote address delivered virtually, Chinese President Xi Jinping noted that hosting the event successfully “demonstrates China’s sincere desire to share its market opportunities with the world and contribute to global economic recovery.” In a speech that carried new measures for expanding all-round opening up, he underscored CIIE’s role as a major platform for international cooperation.

Now, the CIIE forum is evolving to espouse the same ideals pursued under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Unveiled in 2013, BRI has evolved to a fully-fledged global platform whose objective is to construct a unified worldwide market, in addition to nurturing cultural exchange and integration, among other ideals geared to achieving win-win outcomes and mutual benefits for participating entities.

By May this year, China had signed 200 cooperation agreements with 138 countries and regions, and 30 international organizations under the BRI framework. This is a giant leap from the framework’s inception when it started off with 60 countries in Asia, Africa and Europe. Although the emergence of the COVID-19 global pandemic in January this year subsequently slowed down the construction pace of the BRI due to movement restrictions and economic challenges, current data shows that the project is on track.

According to China’s General Administration of Customs, almost all BRI indicators show healthy, wholesome growth. The country’s trade with BRI economies from January to September 2020 rose 1.5 percent to 1.01 trillion U.S. dollars. Trade between China and BRI economies went up from $1.04 trillion in 2013 to $1.34 trillion in 2019. China’s outbound direct investment (ODI) in BRI economies reached $117.31 billion during the period under review.

Statistics from China’s Ministry of Commerce show that the growth of BRI-related non-financial ODI in the three quarters in 2020 rose about 30 percent year-on-year to over $13 billion. Economic experts attribute this sustained growth to the fact that the BRI has developed from its initial offering of transport and infrastructure to among others power generation and utilities, oil and gas pipelines, and telecommunications. Further, the BRI is also embracing social infrastructure like software and innovation, a diversity that has helped it absorb emerging shocks.

The BRI has also gone digital if the sixth Maritime Silk Road International Brand Expo held from October 31 to November 1 is a sign of things to come. Over 10,000 types of products from more than 400 enterprises in over 30 countries and regions were exhibited both online and offline.

In order to assist overseas traders willing to participate in the event but were unable to as a result of the pandemic, the expo launched an online-to-offline component that provided opportunities for exhibitors to showcase their products, and communicate on the cloud to boost transaction and cooperation.

A study published in April 2019 titled “Report on Fostering Sustainable Development through Chinese Overseas Economic and Trade Cooperation Zones along the Belt and Road” observed that BRI has many potential synergies that can deliver UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

For example, the Chinese Overseas Economic and Trade Cooperation Zones that dot the BRI network can help foster inclusive and sustainable industrialization by promoting sustained economic growth, creating decent jobs and income, reducing poverty, hunger and inequalities, and increasing resource- and energy-efficiency.

Just like the CIIE this time added a zone on public health and epidemic prevention, the BRI should include such a consideration on its configuration. Many of the physical limitations posed by the pandemic were generally overcome by virtual participation, which is a concept gradually taking root in the BRI.

For the CIIE and BRI, it is business as usual. The two platforms are integral in growing the world economy through establishment of cross-border e-commerce and adoption of new business forms and models that can now act as new drivers of international trade.

With such a solid background, the BRI is ideally placed to attract more members who can enhance its mandate and play a leading role in global recovery post the coronavirus crisis. Its multilateral outlook makes it a vehicle capable of creating a prosperous and peaceful world for all mankind.

Even before the pandemic, the BRI had come against headwinds from countries that cast aspersions of China’s intentions. But as Xi stated during the CIIE opening ceremony, “looking back at history, humanity has always been able to forge ahead despite risks, disasters and headwinds, and humanity shall and will continue to stride forward.” And so will the BRI.

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com.)

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Foreign news

French Envoy Seeks Collaboration With NAN To Boost Seamless Relationship

Published

1 month ago

February 5, 2025

The Gleamer

The new French envoy to Nigeria, Marc Fonbaustier, on Wednesday called for collaboration with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) toward strengthening the mutually beneficial relationship between the two countries.

Fonbaustier, who is the French ambassador to Nigeria and the ECOWAS, made the call when he paid a courtesy visit to Malam Ali Muhammad Ali, NAN’s Managing Director, in Abuja.
The ambassador said that his purpose of visiting was to pay tribute to the MD, and to seek collaboration in three areas with a view to promoting stronger, seamless and fruitful partnership between both countries.

He added that Nigeria and its people were hospitable, especially to the foreigners and ambassadors alike.

He added that Nigeria was a country with so much energy, strength, stamina and so many talents.

In Nigeria, with the population of this size, it is inevitable that the elites of the country are very outstanding, “and there may be a Franco/Nigeria moments now”, he jokes.

According to him, France and Nigeria can collaborate more and learn from each other.
“I could feel it particularly during the state visit of President Bola Tinubu which took place in November 2024.

“I was there and I could see the intensity, the strength and the scope of the partnership, and I am here to scale up that partnership in all sectors.

“I am coming here for three reasons, first, to pay a tribute to the NAN MD and his team for the quality of this agency. We can testify that the contents that you publish are very factual, and also very well set up and structured.

“You do fact checking and you really do try to provide the community with quality information. I think, as a French ambassador, I can recognise that as part of a living democracy,” he said.

The French ambassador said the second reason for the visit was to intimate the NAN MD of France’s eagerness to go on partnership with NAN saying he hoped for assurance of a seamless, fluid and easy relationship.

He said that his third reason stemmed from his observation that NAN recently signed some partnership framework agreements with Egypt and China, saying “it may be time to think of balancing this partnership with others”.

“Especially with French, and to talk with Agence France-Presse (AFP) to see if there’s ground for a closer relationship between NAN and AFP.

“Which is also a recognised agency like yours, and I bet you the sky will be the limit to the collaboration, ’’he said.

Responding, the NAN MD informed the envoy that the agency was African’s biggest news content provider on account of its size.

Ali gave the envoy a little details of the agency’s operation and its outreach, saying “as our continent’s biggest news content provider, we have offices nationwide and in selected African countries.

“We have offices in countries such as South Africa, Cote d’ivoire, Addis Ababa, and then we have offices also beyond the shores of Africa. We have in New York and we are the only resident wire service in the United Nations.

“At a time in the past, the agency had 11 foreign offices, including Moscow, and presently, we are trying to re-open some of our shut offices, especially in London.
“We value partnership and understanding that we have with similar news organisation such as Reuters and, incidentally, we have a long standing relationship with AFP which you just raised.
“I know for years we have exchange of news between NAN and AFP but it’s a cooperation that we will like to strengthen and with your greater involvement,’’ he said.

The MD commended the ambassador for reaching out and engaging with some Nigerians communities to douse the tension of the allegation made by the Nigeriens.

He also lauded the envoy’s leadership and visibility to Nigeria and the ECOWAS, “which has helped to douse the perception and misconceptions about France, especially in the Sahel”.
“I think you have helped to reverse some of this perceptions. I thank you for the kind words that you said about the agency and about our management.

“We also see partnership as an important tool in checking the spread of fake news.
“We’ve seen instances where fake news has done great deal of damage, and with the coming of social media it has done even greater damage.

“Our country is facing a lot of challenges, one of which is the increasing insecurity, and the social media has been used by those who do not want to see our country to prosper,” Ali said.
He further said that NAN was a credible news agency that always fact check to correct the wrong narratives by those who are in the business of causing troubles.

He also told the envoy that the agency has its content in the Nigerian indigenous languages, starting with Hausa and it would proceed to Yoruba and Igbo languages later, “then later in future to French.

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