Source: chinapictorial.com.cn

Composed of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road, the Belt and Road Initiative was proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the international community in 2013 as a regional development initiative, based on profound changes in the world economy and Asia-Pacific geopolitical relations.

By revitalizing economic, cultural and other links along the ancient land and maritime Silk Roads, the Belt and Road Initiative aims to positively develop regional economic cooperation and partnerships between China and other countries along the Belt and Road. The cooperative framework has designated five priorities: policy coordination, facilities connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration and people-to-people bonds. By promoting cooperation in all fields, the Initiative is working to build a community of shared interests, future and responsibility featuring mutual trust, economic integration and cultural inclusiveness.

The Belt and Road Series includes a total of seven books which were selected for their concise interpretations of the Belt and Road Initiative. 

The first, The Ancient Silk Road: Discovery and Fusion, focuses on historical development and cultural exchanges along the ancient land and maritime Silk Roads. 

The second, The Belt and Road Initiative: China’s Light Shines Again on the Road West, focuses on interpretations of the Initiative’s connotations and bigger picture. 

The third, Policy Coordination: When West Meets East, follows President Xi’s consecutive overseas visits starting in September 2013, focusing on the common efforts made by China and other countries along the Belt and Road to align and coordinate development strategies with help from the Belt and Road Initiative. 

The fourth, Facilities Connectivity: Building an Interconnected World, focuses on China’s cooperation with various countries on infrastructure such as roads, rails, airports, shipping, energy and information. 

The fifth, Unimpeded Trade: Together on the Road to Wealth, comprehensively tracks the international trade background as well as new updates and progress of the Belt and Road Initiative.

The sixth, Financial Integration: Facilitating Economic Integration, focuses on how governments in the region have strengthened financial cooperation.

The seventh, Connecting People: Forging a Bridge of Friendship, focuses on stories and achievements in various fields along the Belt and Road such as education, tourism, science and technology, placing great hope in the power of higher-level people-to-people bonds.

The series offers editions in Chinese, English, French, Russian, Arabic and Korean.

The book series was compiled by the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China (RDCY), a Chinese think tank established in January 2013. The institute is composed of nearly 100 former politicians, bankers and preeminent scholars from 10 countries as senior fellows and cooperates with think tanks from over 30 countries. Since 2014, RDCY has been ranked among the “top 150 think tanks in the world” in the internationally-recognized Global Go To Think Tank Index Report, published by the University of Pennsylvania, three times. Only seven Chinese think tanks have made the list in the past three years.