Write Out a New  Charity Chapter for “the Belt and Road” Cooperation

                                                                                                                by President Gong Puguang

On the occasion of the 10^th anniversary of “the Belt and Road” Initiative (BRI), the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was held in Beijing, which is an in-depth summary of the achievements and experience of the Belt and Road Cooperation in the past ten years, a strong push to build a community with a shared future for mankind, a great promotion to world peace and development and a milestone in the history of human social development.

BRI is a major proposal that is personally planned, deployed and promoted by President Xi Jinping. It is also a significant measure for China to achieve a high level of opening up under the new historical conditions. As a great exploration practice to promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind, BRI has expanded new space for international trade and investment, provided new impetus for world economic growth and human prosperity, contributed new wisdom and experience to improving global economic governance and achieving sustainable development, which has become the most popular international public goods and the largest platform for international cooperation, laying a broad and profound impact in the international community.

I. The great practice of BRI paves the way for China and BRI countries to achieve mutual benefit and common development

2013 is the year which lies at the intersection of history and reality, BRI was proposed by President Xi Jinping in accordance with the changes in the international background and the new situation, new opportunities and new challenges faced by China's own development, which aims to promote cooperation among BRI countries. This initiative not only fits in the interests of China and BRI countries, but also conforms to the development trend of regional and global cooperation, providing a cooperation template for the world to planning together, building together and benefiting together, which fully reflects the new image and profound national wisdom of contemporary China.

From the perspective of the development process of human society, each country cannot be isolated from others, which always achieves its own development through communication and interaction with the outside world so as to constitute the framework of this world for the time being. As a giant developing county, China cannot be dominant force by its rising, which is more necessary to drive and help other countries move forward together.

BRI plans the world's future from the perspective of the overall interests and well-being of mankind, adheres to the Silk Road spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning, as well as mutual benefit and win-win results, organically integrates the new concept of development, new security and new global governance, adheres to the correct concept of justice and interests and leads the new type of global development.

Over the past decade, the Belt and Road Cooperation has produced fruitful outcomes. As of the present, China has signed more than 200 the Belt and Road cooperation documents with 152 countries and 32 international organizations, developing more than 3,000 cooperation projects. The total import and export volume between China and BRI countries have reached 19.1 trillion US dollars, with an average annual growth of 6.4%. The cumulative two-way investment with co construction countries has exceeded 380 billion US dollars, driving nearly trillion US dollars in investment and creating 420,000 local jobs for countries along the belt. With the joint efforts of China and countries involved in the Belt and Road Cooperation, which has been realized the transformation from concept to action, from vision to reality, promoted connectivity, mutual benefit, common development, cooperation and win-win outcomes, injected new impetus into global development and made new contributions to improving people's well-being. It has been proved in practice that the "the Belt and Road" Initiative is a path to peace, prosperity, openness, innovation and civilization and a grand way to bring benefits to all mankind.

II. BRI provides a platform for charity in China to integrate into the world

The Belt and Road Cooperation is an important path for China to join hands with other countries to build a community with a shared future for mankind. Building a community with a shared future for mankind adheres to the principle of "peace, openness, inclusiveness and win-win", holding high the banner of cooperation and win-win, emphasizes the openness, inclusiveness and diversity characteristics between different cultures and international cooperation, centering on integration, coexistence, mutual benefit and win-win results to display human welfare and the great love.

The Belt and Road Cooperation and the community with a shared future for mankind share the same spiritual core, common development goals and internal logical unity. The purpose of the Belt and Road Cooperation is to work with partner countries to build a community of interests, responsibilities and a community of shared future featuring political mutual trust, economic integration and cultural inclusiveness. It is an international cooperation platform connecting the ancient and modern times and benefiting mankind.

The main idea of the Belt and Road Cooperation is "five tongs", i.e., policy communication, facility connectivity, trade smoothness, financial integration and people-to-people connectivity. Paying attention to people's livelihood construction and people's life is a proper meaning of the Belt and Road Cooperation. 'Communication' is the basic foundation of cooperation and development, as well as the needs and expectations of people's livelihoods in various countries. Charitable public welfare organizations play an indispensable and important role in connecting people's affections.

The Chinese nation has an excellent tradition of being happy in doing good, poverty alleviation and sharing with others in trouble and it has great tolerance for different civilizations, cultures and races, as well as great sympathy for the difficulties and disasters faced by humanity. The Belt and Road Cooperation has provided a great opportunity for Chinese charitable organizations to go overseas China, built a bridge of access and opened up vast space. Over the past decade, many charitable organizations have gone out and brought in, spreading China's charitable public welfare concept and operation mode to BRI countries, delivering material assistance and spiritual care from the Chinese charitable community, making positive contributions to social harmony and improvement of people's lives in BRI countries, which not only highlights China's style as a big country but also reflects the humanistic care of charitable organizations and their responsibility to help build a human community.

III. Charitable organizations nationwide are fulfilling their missions and displaying their ethos on the stage of the Belt and Road Cooperation

As the first national social organization named after "China" and "charity" in New PRC China, China Charity Federation is the "pacesetter" and "national team" in charity industry in China, which always takes it as its responsibility to serve the overall situation of the country and help people's livelihood, try to respond to the call of CPC and the country in implementing the Belt and Road Cooperation.

At the end of 2016, in response to BRI and in order to enhance the friendship between China and Myanmar, with the strong support of the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar and the Ministry of Health and Sports of Myanmar, China Charity Federation launched "the Belt and Road · Pauk-Phaw Friendship " rescue action for children with congenital heart disease, which provided surgical assistance for more than 40 children with congenital heart disease at hospitals in China, in which China Charity Federation afford the medical expenses and international travel expenses of children with congenital heart disease by raising funds in China.

On May 16, 2017, after the bilateral talks with President Xi Jinping, Myanmar's national leaders went to the hospital to visit the children with congenital heart disease in Myanmar who were being treated in hospitals in Beijing and expressed their appreciation to China Charity Federation for its assistance by saying that the "the Belt and Road" is a path to peace and friendship, which is what the world really needs. Of all children in the first batch to receive treatment in Myanmar, 11-year-old girl Wu Yitun wrote a letter of gratitude to President Xi Jinping on behalf of the assisted children. The General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China specially assigned embassy staff to visit the children's homes to express condolences, which made a brilliant contribution to the Belt and Road Cooperation.

Since 2017, China Charity Federation has launched the “Belt and Road· People-to-People Bonds” hand in hand series activities of Chinese and foreign students, which aim at promoting exchanges and friendship between China and primary school students in BRI countries. China Charity Federation has conducted friendly cooperation with Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Mongolia, Vietnam and other countries.

In May 2018, China Charity Federation invited 24 students from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Mongolia, Thailand, Vietnam and other countries to come to China and engage in "hand in hand" exchange activities with local students in Chinese cities such as Xi'an, Beijing, Hangzhou, Fuzhou, Zhuhai and Guangzhou.

In April 2019, the second "the Belt and Road • Hand in Hand Ten Nation Teenagers’ Trip to China" was launched in Zhuhai. A total of 72 students from Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Pakistan, Vietnam and other countries, along with Chinese students, visited cities such as Shanghai, Chongqing and Chengdu, which not only enabled them to experience the brilliance of Chinese culture, but also feel the thriving modern China.

In the prevention and control of COVID-19 infection in 2020 and 2021, China Charity Federation held the third and fourth "the Belt and Road • People to People Bonds" student hand in hand activities, in which China Charity Federation donated 40,000 "Children's Health Care Package" worthy of RMB 7.87 million Yuan to 18 countries including Myanmar, Mongolia, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Mozambique, Armenia, Mauritius, Pakistan, Nepal, Liberia, Philippines, Maldives, Egypt, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bosnia, Herzegovina and Indonesia. The foreign affairs departments of Mongolia, Thailand, Mozambique, Liberia and other countries have sent letters of gratitude, stating that China Charity Federation has played a timely role in helping disadvantaged groups.

In April 2020, China Charity Federation launched a joint action against the COVID-19 by joining hands with the Blue-Sky Rescue Team, sending more than 10 outstanding members to form the "Blue Sky Rescue Anti-Epidemic Assistance Team to Cambodia" to carry out 15 days of assistance work in Cambodia. Besides, China Charity Federation donated anti epidemic materials to Cambodia, which was an important witness of the friendship between the peoples between China and Cambodia.

In August 2021, in order to better support BRI countries to overcome the impact of the epidemic, China Charity Federation, along with caring enterprises, donated materials worthy of RMB 2.07 million Yuan to Myanmar for the epidemic prevention and control of children and people in Shan, Kachin and Mandalay provinces of Myanmar.

In December 2022, in the fifth "the Belt and Road · People to People Bonds" student hand in hand activity between China and Laos, China Charity Federation, together with caring enterprises, donated materials worthy of RMB1.3 million Yuan to teenager students in Laos.

In February 2023, when a strong earthquake occurred in Türkiye and Syria, China Charity Federation immediately launched a fund-raising campaign, which was positively responded and generously donated by China Anta Group, C&S Paper Co., Ltd., Hengan International, ZHONGQIAO SPORTS and many other caring enterprises responded quickly to raise relief materials worthy of over RMB 50 million Yuan. In addition, China Anta Group donated coldness-resistant equipment and other materials worthy of RMB 30 million Yuan for disaster relief.

In May 2023, the sixth Hand-in-hand Activity of "the Belt and Road · People to People Bonds" themed China-Laos students sharing “June 1” International Children's Day was launched in Beijing. A total of 100 children from schools in 17 provinces and 1 municipality directly under the Central Government of Laos had a 16-day friendship trip in Xishuangbanna, Kunming, Beijing, Xi'an, Xiamen, Guangzhou and other Chinese cities, deepening their understanding on China and enhancing their friendship with Chinese children.

In addition, charitable organizations of member units of  China Charity Federation in many places nationwide have also closely focused on the Belt and Road Cooperation, implemented many charity projects in line with local realities and carried out a variety of activities. For example, BRI Connectivity Charity Fund established by Chongqing Charity Federation has played an active role in assisting the weak and needy, helping doctors and teachers, the disabled and the elderly as well as in building schools. Yunnan Provincial Charity Federation and Fuwai Yunnan Cardiovascular Hospital actively mobilized their own resources, gave play to their regional and technical advantages, and jointly hosted the "the Belt and Road · Pauk-Phaw Friendship" rescue action for children with congenital heart disease "with China Charity Federation. The "2017 Silk Road International Charity Cooperation and Sustainable Development Summit Forum" co-sponsored by Shaanxi Provincial Charity Association has become an influential forum of BRI and Shaanxi Provincial Charity Association also hosted the theme activity of "Shaanxi Talents Taking BRI, Great Love of the Three Qin Dynasties and Messenger of Peace", inviting more than 30 experts and scholars, inheritors of intangible cultural heritage, and calligraphers and painters to travel tens of thousands of miles across the Eurasian continent, spreading Chinese voices and telling Chinese stories in 100 days.

At the third the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, President Xi Jinping pointed out that the Belt and Road Cooperation pursues connectivity, mutual benefit, common development, cooperation and win-win outcomes and the Belt and Road cooperation is on the right side of history, which represents the advancing of our times and it is the right path forward. We are deeply aware that the Belt and Road Cooperation is a long-term, cross-border and systematic world project, which is widely expected by the peoples of the whole world. There is a long way to go in the future. As an important member of Chinese charitable organizations, China Charity Federation will keep in mind its original mission, responds to the call of CPC and the country by trying its best to contribute more to the Belt and Road cooperation and make greater contributions to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind together with charitable organizations nationwide.