It has been 8 years since the Belt and Road Initiative was put forward, and the achievements of the construction have benefited all countries along the route. According to the news on the website of the Chinese Embassy in the UK on October 8, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the UK answered questions from reporters on reports on the Belt and Road Initiative. The content is as follows:

A reporter asked at a regular press conference held by the ambassador to the UK: There are reports on the issue of China’s Belt and Road construction. Most of them are provided in the form of high-risk and high-interest loans from state-owned banks in China, which has burdened many countries with huge debts. The One Belt One Road project involves environmental issues. Does the Chinese Embassy have any comment on this?

A spokesperson for the embassy said that the relevant reports were partial and unfair. The Belt and Road Initiative is an international economic cooperation initiative aimed at inheriting the spirit of the Silk Road, working together to create an open cooperation platform, and providing new impetus for cooperation and development among countries. Over the past eight years, thanks to the joint efforts of all parties, the Belt and Road Initiative has shown great vitality and made positive progress. The joint construction of the Belt and Road has turned from concept to action, from blueprint to reality, bringing huge opportunities and dividends to countries around the world, and has received positive responses and support from the international community. The Belt and Road Initiative has become the world's widest and largest international cooperation platform. As of July 2021, 140 countries and 32 international organizations have joined. A large number of key projects are fully advanced, benefiting the people of countries and regions along the route, and bringing huge opportunities and dividends to countries around the world. In the context of the global pandemic of the epidemic, international cooperation along the Belt and Road has demonstrated resilience against risks, and has played an important role in fighting the epidemic, stabilizing the economy, and protecting people's livelihood. China has taken cooperation in the field of ecological civilization as a key content of the joint construction of the Belt and Road, and initiated a series of green action initiatives, adopting a series of measures such as green infrastructure, green energy, green transportation, and green finance to continue to benefit the people of all countries participating in the joint construction of the Belt and Road.

In June 2021, 29 countries participating in a high-level video conference on international cooperation in the Belt and Road Asia-Pacific region jointly launched the Belt and Road Vaccine Partnership Initiative and the Green Development Partnership Initiative. The Healthy Silk Road and the Green Silk Road have become new highlights of cooperation. According to a report released by the International Financial Forum's 2021 spring meeting, 87% of the central banks of the Belt and Road countries surveyed believe that the Belt and Road projects will help the economic recovery in the post-epidemic era, and 75% of them said that these projects will contribute to green recovery and sustainable development. The Belt and Road Initiative is a pragmatic cooperation project that is visible and tangible. It is a project to promote people's livelihood and well-being in countries along the route. It is by no means a so-called "debt trap."

In order to realize the high-quality construction of the Belt and Road in the new era, China will continue to practice the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, adhere to the concept of openness, greenness, cleanliness, and cooperation, carry out high-standard, livelihood, and sustainable cooperation, and join hands with countries along the route. To advance together, to build a high-quality Belt and Road Initiative, to make new and greater contributions to enhancing the well-being of the people of all countries, promoting the stable recovery of the world economy, and promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Editor/Xu Shengpeng