The official opening ceremony of the Eurasian Economic Forum (EEF) took place in Xi'an (Shaanxi Province, PRC) on September 10, 2019. SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov was in attendance.
The forum began with a welcome address by Politburo CPC Central Committee member and Vice Premier of the PRC State Council Hu Chunhua.
Hu Chunhua said China is willing to work with other Eurasian countries for the effective implementation of the agreements reached at the Second High-Level Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation last April. It will continue working with these countries to continuously upgrade the level of practical cooperation.
"With a platform like the Eurasian Economic Forum, the participants will be able to enhance their contacts and exchanges, promote cooperation and mutual understanding and make a greater contribution to facilitating Belt and Road joint development as well as to the progress and prosperity of the Eurasian region," he emphasised.
In his speech, SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov pointed out the importance of this event. "Despite some positive changes, the world economic situation remains unstable and economic globalisation is accompanied by growing unilateral protectionist measures and other challenges to international trade."
"In this broad international context, in the past few years the EEF has become an important venue for the search for new breakthrough models of developing and expanding mutually beneficial cooperation in all areas," he noted.
Mr Norov also talked about the need to create and develop new logistics corridors.
"Today, the world is on the threshold of unprecedented, revolutionary technological changes. Recognising the importance of innovation and the digital economy as key factors in medium- and long-term economic growth, the heads of state of the SCO countries approved a concept for cooperation in digitisation and ITC at the SCO summit in Bishkek," he said.
"Thus, digitisation of the transport infrastructure in the SCO countries will considerably increase the capacity of transport routes, for example by 40 percent for railways, and can lower transportation costs by up to 30 percent," Mr Norov said.
He also noted that joint development of multi-modal transport and logistics centres and the creation of a network of industrial clusters along the transport arteries of the SCO countries under the Belt and Road Initiative will expand the region's economic potential and give a powerful impetus to adjacent areas of cooperation.
Secretary of the Shaanxi Province CPC Committee Hu Hepin and Moldovan Parliament Speaker Zinaida Greceanii also took the floor at the forum opening ceremony.
Over a thousand representatives from 54 countries and regions, including the officials, diplomatic corps accredited in Beijing, businesspeople, experts and scientists are attending the forum.
The participants outlined the forum's main areas of focus: tourism, environmental protection, science, technology and education.
The Eurasian Economic Forum is a venue for international economic cooperation in Eurasia that geographically includes the SCO countries. The forum is held in Xi'an once every two years, starting in 2005.
The EEF has become a landmark event for China. It is a major trade and economic forum, a window for China's western regions to the outside world and an attractive platform for promoting trade and economic ties between the countries located along the Great Silk Road.