Founded on the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, the Belt and Road Initiative has become an important platform for advancing regional connectivity and common development, officials from China and abroad said on Thursday in Xi'an, Shaanxi province.

"The Belt and Road Initiative represents a new development path. It is a project of profound significance that connects continents and peoples around the world," said Ada Lopreiato, senator and chairperson of the Friends of China Parliamentary Association of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in the Italian Parliament.

Lopreiato said promoting investment can bring transformative changes, and strengthening connectivity and cooperation can lead to mutual benefits. China is a major trading partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and Italy is also one of China's major trading partners. The two sides have achieved significant increases in trade and other areas.

"Under the current complex global situation, geopolitics is confronted with many challenges, making the upholding of fundamental shared values of paramount importance," she added.

The remarks were made at the China Economic and Social Forum 2025, hosted by the China Economic and Social Council and organized by the Shaanxi Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. The event drew over 80 participants from China and abroad for discussions on deepening exchanges and mutual learning to build a community with a shared future for humanity.

Wu Wei, chairman of the Singapore-China Network Exchange, said the BRI has become "a crucial platform for promoting regional connectivity and common development". As the initiator, China has been continuously exploring ways to infuse new concepts and vitality into cooperation, he said.

Wu highlighted cooperation between the two countries as a prime example, where China's vast market scale and infrastructure construction capabilities complement Singapore's international financial expertise and governance experience.

"More importantly, both China and Singapore have consistently adhered to the principle of win-win cooperation. This collaboration is not a one-way assistance, but rather a mutually beneficial and jointly prosperous endeavor," he said.

Zhao Yide, secretary of the Communist Party of China's Shaanxi Provincial Committee, noted the province's geographical advantages as a key hub connecting China with Central Asia, West Asia and Europe, adding that the province plans to further enhance its level of openness.

"Shaanxi, a key gateway in China's efforts to open up to the outside world since ancient times, has become an important base for the country's westward outreach with the advancement of the Belt and Road Initiative," Zhao said.

He added that the province will seize the favorable opportunity to accelerate both domestic and international opening-up efforts.

Luo Zhaohui, former chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, said the joint construction of the BRI has entered a new stage of high-quality development.

Luo, who is also a member of the CPPCC National Committee, said that the BRI needs to be further aligned with the development initiatives of relevant countries. He proposed connecting the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor with the Pakistan-Iran land route corridor and identifying areas of greatest mutual benefit between Europe's Global Gateway plan and the BRI.

"We need to better leverage regional cooperation mechanisms," Luo said. "Regional frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization are crucial priorities for advancing practical economic and trade collaboration, building on political security collaboration."