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The third summit on the gigantic infrastructure and investment project ‘New Silk Road’ is currently taking place in Beijing. As soon as Chinese state and party leader Xi Jinping had completed his speech at the opening ceremony, Putin was allowed to address the attendees. A plate.

Xi’s criticism of the West

Xi said that despite serious international conflicts and tensions among major economies, China sees its “New Silk Road” on the path to success.

Representatives of more than 140 countries from Africa, South America and Asia, as well as the Taliban from Afghanistan, have been guests in Beijing since Tuesday. With the initiative, China provides loans in its country and carries out construction projects worth billions, including in transport networks or ports.

Xi announced an eight-point plan through which China plans to pursue further cooperation, but it remained rather vague. According to the 70-year-old, this includes the expansion of the Sino-European express rail line. Xi also wants to expand China’s exchanges with other countries in the field of artificial intelligence, he said.

Xi was critical of the US and EU countriesthat are not members of the Silk Road, but have imposed sanctions on China or are investigating Chinese products. “We oppose unilateral sanctions, economic coercion, disconnection and interruptions of supply chains.” China will not engage in ideological confrontation, geopolitical games or confrontation through bloc politics.

Putin’s speech

Russian President Vladimir Putin took the stage after Xi – another sign that the Kremlin chief was one of the most important guests from a Chinese perspective. Putin praised the “New Silk Road”. The project and Russia’s participation in it ensured that common solutions to important regional problems were found.

During his speech, some Western representatives left the room. During the subsequent bilateral meeting between Xi and Putin, the Chinese assured his counterpart of continued support. In his greeting, Xi called Putin an “old friend.”

About the conflict in the Middle East

Xi did not address the conflict in the Middle East. Nevertheless, the terrorist attack by the Islamist Hamas on Israel and the ongoing Israeli counter-attacks in the Gaza Strip were the topics of the opening. In his speech, UN Secretary General António Guterres called for a ceasefire, the release of the hostages and humanitarian aid in the closed Gaza Strip.

About the environment and climate

An important topic at the summit was environmentally and climate-friendly entrepreneurship. According to participants at a managers conference on Tuesday, 150 contracts and declarations of intent have been signed there, many of them in the energy sector.

China, which still generates electricity mainly by burning coal, sees opportunities in renewable energy for the ‘New Silk Road’, for example through the construction of wind and solar parks.

(yam/sda/dpa)