BRI will bring a strategic change

Mohamed al-Mokhtar Khalil

The Belt and Road Initiative （BRI） has an immenseinternational effect and will certainly enhance exchange andunderstanding among all peoples.

The initiative， proposed by China in 2013， refers to the SilkRoad Economic Belt and the 2lst Century Maritime Silk Road，which aims at building a trade and infrastructure network connectingAsia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes of theSilk Road.

My own interest in BRI was then reminiscent of the historicalSilk Road， a project that requires huge potentials and understandingswith many countries.

Touching on the BRI’s impact on Qatar and the region， itemanated from the fact that China is a strong player in the globaleconomy and its position as an active economic partner for Qatar.

Whatever contributes to the development of the Chineseeconomy will definitely contribute to the development of economicrelations with Qatar and the more benefits China obtains， the moreits partners， including Qatar， will benefit.

Regarding the future of the BRI， I expected that all parties to thisinitiative will certainly show keenness on its success.

By July 2018， more than 100 states and internationalorganizations have signed documents of cooperation with Chinawithin the framework of the BRI. The volume of China's trade ingoods with the countries along the Belt and Road is up to USD5.5trillion.

Qatar， a founding member of the Asian Infrastructure InvestmentBank （AIIB）， which had been founded through calls from China， wasin the forefront of countries that supported and actively participatedin the BRI.

During the visit by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin HamadA1 Thani to China in 2014， the two sides signed a memorandum ofunderstanding on partnership in the building of the Belt and Road.

Beijing expressed readiness then to go on with efforts with Dohato link the development strategy in the two countries together andenhance bilateral cooperation within the framework of the initiative.