Beijing, April 24th—Song Tao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, held a group meeting here today with foreign representatives attending the sub-forum themed with people-to-people bond of the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF).

Song welcomed the attendance of the foreign representatives at the sub-forum, and expressed that President Xi Jinping has pointed out that people-to-people bond is an important part in the international cooperation of the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). President Xi Jinping also stressed that friendship between the peoples holds the key to sound state-to-state relations, and people-to-people bond contributes to deeper friendship, and emphasized that we should enable the people to become the main drivers and beneficiaries in pursuing the BRI.

Song expressed that since the first BRF, China has carried out extensive communication and cooperation with various circles of countries along the route centering on people-to-people bond, and made fruitful achievements in such areas as spread of ideas, cooperation in people’s wellbeing, integration of culture and mechanism construction.

Song emphasized that people-to-people bond is the most in-depth, permanent and fundamental connectivity. In the world faced with profound changes unseen in a century, the fundamental role of people-to-people bond in the BRI has become increasingly prominent. The Chinese side is willing to set up the bridge of people-to-people bond with a more active attitude and more practical actions, so as to contribute to the long-term and stable development of the BRI and push forward the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. It is expected that all representatives could actively put forward suggestions to facilitate people-to-people bond, discuss cooperation in people’s wellbeing and jointly usher in a better life.

Highly appreciating the BRI proposed by President Xi Jinping, foreign representatives expressed their willingness to make contributions to increasing people-to-people bond and promoting the joint construction of the BRI. They wished the upcoming second BRF a complete success.

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