Recently, the Swedish newspaper, SvD, published an article, “Sverige bör få EU att ställa tydliga krav på Kina”. Part of the article distorts the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and makes groundless suspicions and accusations against the strategic intent and industrial policies of BRI. It will only mislead the Swedish public and is inconducive to future China-Sweden BRI cooperation. The Embassy has sent a letter to SvD to express firm opposition, and presents China’s position as follows:
The BRI is an important initiative for international cooperation proposed by President Xi Jinping. Underpinned by infrastructure connectivity, it aims to tap complementary advantages of countries involved, promote mutually beneficial cooperation and achieve common development. Since its inception five years ago, the BRI has yielded fruitful achievements. Trade between China and countries along the route exceeded five trillion USD. Over 80 trade and economic cooperation zones were set up by China and BRI partners, generating over 244,000 local jobs.
The BRI originates from China but belongs to the world. It follows the principle of “extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits”. The pursuit of the BRI is not meant to impose China's cooperation plans on other countries. Rather, it aims to synergize the development strategies of countries involved, and make plans together for joint development through consultation. The BRI is not the Marshall Plan either. It doesn't work with China unilaterally providing financial aid to other countries. Instead, all countries and international organizations involved pool capital and efforts for joint development. The outcomes of the BRI are not monopolized by China, but shared among all participants and cooperation partners involved. The BRI is by no means a so-called geopolitical tool, because it is the basic principle of China's foreign policy not to interfere in other countries' internal affairs or to seek spheres of influence. BRI is not only about China going abroad to carry out cooperation projects. Foreign countries are also welcome to initiate, expand and deepen practical cooperation in China. The BRI is an open initiative. We look forward to cooperation with all parties and welcome a third party or even more countries to participate in relevant cooperation projects.
The BRI is a transparent initiative that abides by international rules. A global initiative as massive as the BRI could never thrive without going by the rules. The Joint Communiqué of the first Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in May 2017 made solemn commitments in terms of transparency, rules, and standards of the BRI, and emphasized the importance of economic, social and environmental sustainability of projects, and of coordinating economic growth, social progress, and environmental protection. It is these features of BRI that give the world full confidence about the prospects of the Initiative. The Belt and Road Initiative 2018 Survey conducted by International Finance Forum shows that a total of 92% of central bank respondents expect the BRI to bolster their domestic growth during the next five years, with the majority saying this would be up to 1.5 percentage points.
China firmly supports European integration and a united, stable and prosperous Europe. The BRI provides China and Europe with a new platform to expand cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual benefits. China and 11 EU member states signed BRI inter-governmental cooperation documents and China-Europe freight trains have run over 10,000 trips, reaching 42 cities in 14 European countries. Sweden has always supported free trade, open development, and green innovation, which is highly compatible with the BRI concepts. Swedish companies are global leaders in areas such as infrastructure technology, equipment manufacturing, smart cities and green transport, and have a lot to achieve by participating in the BRI. Sweden is not supposed to lag behind other European countries in terms of BRI participation.
We are glad to see a strong interest in BRI from various sectors of Sweden. We welcome the Swedish side to deepen its study and understanding of the BRI and actively participate in it. We welcome the Stockholm Belt and Road Observatory launched by the Swedish Institute of International Affairs(UI). Ready to have more communication with the Observatory, we hope it will truly help various sectors of Sweden to have an objective and complete understanding of the BRI and promote China-Sweden friendly cooperation. We are eager to hear constructive advice for joint contribution to BRI from the Swedish side, and hope some people in Sweden will not look through colored spectacles and make biased and groundless accusations against China. The opportunity for China-Sweden BRI cooperation is right there to be tapped.