The Silk Road Economic Belt International Seminar opened in Urumqi, capital city of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on June 26.

About 100 government officials, experts and entrepreneurs from 23 countries are attending a two-day seminar themed, "The Silk Road Economic Belt International Seminar: An Opportunity to Work, Share, Prosper, and Succeed Together."

Zhang Chunxian, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Party chief of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and Cai Mingzhao, minister of the State Council Information Office, each gave an address at the opening ceremony.

Zhang Chunxian remarked in his speech that Xinjiang will "make full use of its geographical and cultural advantages, further open up and make efforts to act as the main force and vanguard in building the Silk Road Economic Belt".

Xinjiang aims to build the traffic hub, the commercial logistics center, the finance center, the cultural, scientific and educational center, and the medical service center in the region, as well as a large-scale national oil and gas production, processing and reserve base, a large-scale coal, coal power and coal chemical base, a large wind power base, and a corridor, Zhang said.

Cai Mingzhao noted in his speech that the continents of Eurasia linked by the Silk Road contains nearly half of the world's population and is a region full of vitality. Though nations in the region have different social systems, development levels, cultural traditions and religious beliefs, they do share the same goals of economic development and improvement of people's well-being, as well as similar goals to deepen bilateral and multilateral relationships with the aim of mutually beneficial cooperation.

"Building a Silk Road Economic Belt and reinvigorating the corridor of trade and cultural exchange that once prospered for many centuries will better enhance the friendly exchanges between peoples of the surrounding nations, and will promote a harmonious coexistence of those people, beliefs and cultures. Shared peace and common development will benefit the people of these nations," Cai said.

Zhong Shan, China's international representative and vice minister of commerce, and Li Pumin, secretary general of the National Development and Reform Commission, also gave keynote speeches during the opening ceremony.

The seminar is sponsored by the State Council Information Office, and co-organized by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the China International Publishing Group and the Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences.

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