Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses a welcome banquet of the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for International Cooperation in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for renewing the Silk Road spirit when addressing a banquet held Sunday evening in honor of foreign guests attending the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.[Special coverage]
Before the banquet, Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan greeted the guests at the Great Hall of the People.
While proposing a toast at the banquet, Xi said, "More than 2,000 years ago, our ancestors, driven by a desire for friendship, opened the overland and maritime Silk Roads and thus started a great era of exchanges among civilizations."
"Today, we gather here to renew the Silk Road spirit and discuss the Belt and Road development for international cooperation. This is both a continuation of our shared legacy and a right choice for the future," he said.
Xi said that the Belt and Road Initiative embodies the aspiration for inter-civilization exchanges, the yearning for peace and stability, the pursuit of common development and the shared dream for a better life.
Noting that "we are at a fresh starting point, ready to embark on a new journey together," Xi said, "so long as we press ahead with a common vision without backpedaling or standing still, we will achieve greater connectivity and benefit from each other's development."
After the banquet, the guests, accompanied by Xi and his wife, watched a gala at the National Center for the Performing Arts.
Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli attended the banquet and the gala.
