More than 300 diplomats, researchers, journalists, and business leaders from over 50 countries and regions gathered in Xi'an this week as the ancient Silk Road city played host to two major international gatherings focused on global cooperation.
The Belt and Road Forum for International Think Tank Cooperation 2026 and the 4th Silk Road (Xi'an) International Communication Forum opened on Tuesday in the capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, bringing together voices from across the world to discuss the future of cross-border partnership.
A Shared Vision for Modernization
Under the theme "High-quality Belt and Road Cooperation Empowering Modernization and Mutual Learning among Civilizations," the forums are designed to harness international expertise and push the initiative toward deeper, more meaningful collaboration. Organizers say the goal is to elevate the quality of projects and exchanges that have already reshaped trade, infrastructure, and cultural ties across dozens of nations.
Zhao Gang, deputy secretary of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China and governor of the province, told attendees that Shaanxi has worked hard in recent years to weave itself into the wider fabric of Belt and Road cooperation. The province, he noted, has become a hub for logistics, cultural exchange, and industrial partnership.
From Vision to Concrete Results
Lyu Yansong, editor-in-chief of Xinhua News Agency, reflected on the journey of the initiative over the past 13 years. What began as a broad vision, he said, has matured into visible and tangible projects that have strengthened friendships between China and partner nations while boosting economic and social development in those countries.
As the lead of the Initiators Council of the Belt and Road Studies Network (BRSN), Xinhua is committed to working alongside domestic and international partners, Lyu added. He called for deeper research into what high-quality Belt and Road cooperation truly means, and for greater efforts to showcase how partner countries are advancing modernization and learning from one another's civilizations.
New Members Join the Network
The BRSN has steadily expanded its reach since it was founded seven years ago. At the opening ceremony, four new institutions officially joined the network: the BRICS International Forum, Xi'an Jiaotong University, the Manas National Academy of the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Development Strategy Centre of Uzbekistan. Representatives from each signed documents formalizing their membership.
The forums are expected to produce fresh insights and recommendations on how countries can collaborate more effectively on infrastructure, trade, technology, and cultural exchange. For Xi'an, a city that once served as the eastern起点 of the ancient Silk Road, the event reinforces its modern role as a bridge between China and the wider world.
Discussions will continue over the coming days, with participants expected to explore new pathways for sustainable development and people-to-people connections across the Belt and Road network.
