(ECNS) -- The China-Central Asia Summit, scheduled to be held from May 18 to 19 in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, is good for the world, as leaders from China and five countries in central Asia are trying to create unity, said Bala Ramasamy, Professor of Economics at the China-Europe International Business School (CEIBS), during an interview with China News Network.Central Asia is where the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was first proposed and is a pacesetter for connectivity. Professor Bala, who is also the Associate Dean and Director of GEMBA Programme at CEIBS, believes that the BRI is about China sharing its secret of success with the world.Bala hailed China’s economic growth since its reform and opening up over 40 years ago and spoke highly of China becoming the world's second-largest economy so quickly. “I don't think there's any country in the world that has been able to reach that kind of size within such a short period of time,” he said.He said that its advanced infrastructure system is the secret to China’s success. “If people have traveled around the world, they will realize that China has one of the most advanced infrastructure systems in the world,” he said.The primary task for developing countries such as ASEAN countries and Central Asian countries, Bala says, is to improve infrastructure systems, which can facilitate trade. “You want to export, you want to import, at the end of the day, you need roads, railways, ports, and so on,” he added.Just as Bala stated, the BRI has yielded remarkable results in promoting infrastructure construction and interconnectivity among countries. On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin introduced the fruitful outcomes in China-Central Asia high-quality BRI cooperation over the past decade.The China-Kazakhstan Horgos International Border Cooperation Center and the China-Kazakhstan Logistics Base in Lianyungang have been completed, providing a gateway to the Pacific for Central Asian countries. The Chinese-built tunnel of the Angren-Pap railway line, the longest tunnel in Central Asia, saves local residents the trouble of climbing through the mountains or taking a detour via neighboring countries.The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) highway has become an important international transportation route that runs smoothly through the region’s mountainous terrain. Four-fifths of the China-Europe Railway Express trains run through Central Asia. They are a steel caravan for the Eurasian continent.The facts prove that China continues to provide new opportunities to the world through its own development.Southeast Asia exports many commodities and raw materials, and China is one of the countries that require these commodities.“For Southeast Asia, China is a very important market that they could use, that they could tap for whatever they are producing,” Bala said, adding that as those countries develop, they become China’s market as well, so it's a win-win relationship.To conclude, Professor Bala said it benefits both sides to make sure that the BRI projects are done the right way.Beyond infrastructure, he also noted that China shares its values, such as hard work and inclusiveness, which are also very important.(ECNS) -- The China-Central Asia Summit, scheduled to be held from May 18 to 19 in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, is good for the world, as leaders from China and five countries in central Asia are trying to create unity, said Bala Ramasamy, Professor of Economics at the China-Europe International Business School (CEIBS), during an interview with China News Network.Central Asia is where the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was first proposed and is a pacesetter for connectivity. Professor Bala, who is also the Associate Dean and Director of GEMBA Programme at CEIBS, believes that the BRI is about China sharing its secret of success with the world.Bala hailed China’s economic growth since its reform and opening up over 40 years ago and spoke highly of China becoming the world's second-largest economy so quickly. “I don't think there's any country in the world that has been able to reach that kind of size within such a short period of time,” he said.He said that its advanced infrastructure system is the secret to China’s success. “If people have traveled around the world, they will realize that China has one of the most advanced infrastructure systems in the world,” he said.The primary task for developing countries such as ASEAN countries and Central Asian countries, Bala says, is to improve infrastructure systems, which can facilitate trade. “You want to export, you want to import, at the end of the day, you need roads, railways, ports, and so on,” he added.Just as Bala stated, the BRI has yielded remarkable results in promoting infrastructure construction and interconnectivity among countries. On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin introduced the fruitful outcomes in China-Central Asia high-quality BRI cooperation over the past decade.The China-Kazakhstan Horgos International Border Cooperation Center and the China-Kazakhstan Logistics Base in Lianyungang have been completed, providing a gateway to the Pacific for Central Asian countries. The Chinese-built tunnel of the Angren-Pap railway line, the longest tunnel in Central Asia, saves local residents the trouble of climbing through the mountains or taking a detour via neighboring countries.The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) highway has become an important international transportation route that runs smoothly through the region’s mountainous terrain. Four-fifths of the China-Europe Railway Express trains run through Central Asia. They are a steel caravan for the Eurasian continent.The facts prove that China continues to provide new opportunities to the world through its own development.Southeast Asia exports many commodities and raw materials, and China is one of the countries that require these commodities.“For Southeast Asia, China is a very important market that they could use, that they could tap for whatever they are producing,” Bala said, adding that as those countries develop, they become China’s market as well, so it's a win-win relationship.To conclude, Professor Bala said it benefits both sides to make sure that the BRI projects are done the right way.Beyond infrastructure, he also noted that China shares its values, such as hard work and inclusiveness, which are also very important.
