ABSTRACT
At the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held on May 14, 2017 in Beijing, President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech entitled Work Together to Build the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Xi pointed out that a solid first step has been taken in pursuing the Belt and Road Initiative and we should build on the sound momentum generated to steer the Belt and Road Initiative towards greater success. It was against such a backdrop that President Xi proposed in his speech to build the Belt and Road into a road of peace, prosperity, openness and innovation and a road connecting different civilisations. 1
