The second 21st Century Maritime Silk Road China (Guangdong) International Communication Forum kicked off in the coastal city of Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, on Wednesday, September 19, 2018. This year’s theme is “New Era, New Silk Road, New Image.”

Shen Haixiong, Vice Minister of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and President of China Media Group delivers a speech at the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road China International Communication Forum in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, September 19, 2018. [Photo: China Plus/Li Jin]

The forum is co-hosted by China Media Group (CMG) and the People's Government of Guangdong Province. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the forum, Shen Haixiong, Vice Minister of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and President of CMG, said “This year is the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up, and also marks the 5th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative which was proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013. The forum will showcase the new practices in the construction of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and promote the exchange of the new achievements on the mutual understanding of civilizations.” Shen Haixiong added that China Media Group will consistently play its role as a voice for China, safeguard the multilateral trading system, and promote the creation of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Ma Xingrui, deputy secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Governor, delivers a speech at the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road China International Communication Forum in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, September 19, 2018. [Photo: China Plus/Li Jin]

Ma Xingrui, deputy secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Governor, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the forum, saying that Guangdong is one of the earliest provinces to start the reform and opening-up drive and is also an important hub for the Belt and Road Initiative. The province will strengthen cooperation with countries and regions along the Belt and Road route in infrastructure construction, trade, education and so on. It will also work to improve the management of joint industrial parks and projects and contribute to the high-quality development of the Belt and Road initiative.

At the opening ceremony, the head of the Guangdong Provincial Publicity Department Fu Hua released a report titled 2018 Report on Guangdong Enterprises Going Global in Building the Belt and Road. The report revealed that enterprises from Guangdong were actively responding to the Belt and Road Initiative and working for win-win progress in economic and trade cooperation with countries and regions along the Belt and Road route.

The Party Secretary of Zhuhai City Guo Yonghang said at the opening ceremony that Zhuhai is one of the earliest birthplaces of the Maritime Silk Road. Since the launch of the reform and opening up drive, as one of the earliest special economic zones established in China, Zhuhai has always kept frequent economic, trade and cultural exchanges with countries and regions along the Maritime Silk Road, including ASEAN, South Asian and South Pacific countries. At present, Zhuhai is striving to reinvigorate this special economic zone in the new era. The city is also striving to build Zhuhai into a new economic engine of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and a charming city with unique features, vitality and aspirations.

Stefania Stafutti, director of the Confucius Institute in Turin, Italy, delivers a speech at the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road China International Communication Forum in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, September 19, 2018. [Photo: China Plus/Li Jin]

Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central Government in the Macao SAR., Xue Xiaofeng, also attended the opening ceremony. The executive director of the BRICS Research Committee of Russia, George Toloraya, and the director of the Confucius Institute in Turin, Italy, Stefania Stafutti, spoke at the opening ceremony on behalf of foreign guests. The mayor of Zhuhai City, Yao Yisheng, hosted the opening ceremony.

Foreign guests attend the opening ceremony of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road China International Communication Forum in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, September 19, 2018. [Photo: China Plus/Li Jin]

This year’s forum includes a main forum called 21st Century Maritime Silk Road China (Guangdong) International Communication Forum and three sub forums, namely International Promotion of Guangdong Brands, Technical Innovation Guides High-quality Development, and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Shares New Era Opportunities. 800 participants from over 30 countries will take part in a series of activities of the form. They also visited an exhibition featuring Guangdong brands before the opening ceremony.