BEIJING—President Xi Jinping opened the Silk Road summit on Sunday to showcase China’s ambitious plans to revive ancient trade routes from Asia to Europe and Africa.
BEIJING—President Xi Jinping opened the Silk Road summit on Sunday to showcase China’s ambitious plans to revive ancient trade routes from Asia to Europe and Africa.
Speaking to an audience that included Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders of 29 other countries, Xi outlined the most ambitious political vision yet for the “Belt and Road Initiative, ” a multibillion-dollar plan to build ports, railways and other facilities.
President Duterte skipped the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum, as he was preparing for his key meetings on Monday at the Leaders’ Roundtable Discussions, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) .
The DFA said Mr. Duterte was expected to engage in bilateral talks with Xi and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
The initiative spans some 65 countries representing 60 percent of the global population and around a third of global GDP. China Development Bank alone has earmarked $890 billion for some 900 projects.
Here are some of the projects under the initiative:
The China-Europe Railway Express includes 51 rail links connecting 27 Chinese and 28 European cities, with freight trains that offer shorter transport time than sea routes.
A planned 418-kilometer rail line between China and Laos attempts to be the first overseas route that connects with the vast rail system in China.
Another 873-km, high-speed railway project between China and Thailand will link the Chinese border to Thailand’s ports.
