On October 14, the 2024 Sichuan Belt and Road International People-to-People Friendship Organizations' Meeting opened in Chengdu, the capital of Southwest China's Sichuan Province. The event, themed "Sharing New Opportunities for Cooperation, Writing a New Chapter for the Belt and Road," gathered distinguished participants. Zhang Yangbin, Deputy Secretary-General of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), attended and delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. Also present were Zhu Chunxiu, Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of the 14th Sichuan Provincial People's Congress, other Sichuan provincial leaders, and nearly 50 foreign guests, including leaders of 16 friendship organizations and business representatives from 13 countries/regions.

In his speech, Zhang Yangbin highlighted the significance of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which was proposed by President Xi Jinping in response to global changes, the demands of the times, and the trajectory of history. Centered on the shared aspirations of people worldwide for peace and development, the BRI embodies a Chinese approach to achieving shared prosperity and development through Eastern wisdom. Over the past 11 years, the BRI has injected new momentum into global economic growth, created new opportunities for global development, and established a new platform for international economic cooperation. It has evolved into a widely embraced international public goods, delivering tangible benefits to the people of countries and regions along its route.

Zhang emphasized that at present, the Belt and Road cooperation has entered a new phase of high-quality development. He expressed the CPAFFC's readiness to collaborate with all stakeholders to leverage the unique strengths of people-to-people diplomacy, deepen cultural exchanges, enhance practical cooperation, promote green development, and foster youth exchanges. These efforts aim to contribute wisdom and strength toward building a more prosperous, open and inclusive world.