In the past ten years, the trade volume between China and European countries participating in the construction of the "the belt and road initiative" has been increasing, the trains between China and Europe have been galloping, and landmark projects have blossomed, which has facilitated personnel exchanges and made green digital cooperation more prominent, which has effectively promoted China-EU relations.
Increase well-being and benefit people's livelihood
"If the Pereshatz Bridge is not built by Chinese enterprises, it is estimated that it will take at least 100 years!" The residents of Comar, where the bridge is located, lamented.
Selma Kunderson is a civil engineer, who worked in the bridge project for 4 years, responsible for material procurement and signing contracts with subcontractors. Kunderson said that her father was also an engineer, and his great wish before his death was to build a bridge across the Si Tong Bay and connect the Croatian territory. Now, China Enterprise has fulfilled her father's wish and made the common dream of Croatian generations come true.
In an interview with reporters, Croatian Prime Minister Plenkovic said that the Peleshac Bridge is the most important infrastructure construction project in Croatia, and the timely completion and smooth opening of the bridge is one of the most important events in Croatia, realizing the desire to connect the north and the south.
In the past ten years, China has strengthened the joint construction of "the belt and road initiative" with high quality, which is in line with the development strategies of various countries and regional cooperation initiatives. "Connecting Bridges", "Development Zones", "Prosperous Ports" and "Happy Roads" have strengthened the "hard connectivity" of infrastructure and deepened the "soft connectivity" of rules and standards. By creating high-quality livelihood projects, the "the belt and road initiative" cooperation has improved the local people's sense of participation and satisfaction, and promoted the "heart connectivity" of the people.
Analysts pointed out that "the belt and road initiative" pragmatic cooperation continued to deepen and expand, forming more grounded and popular cooperation results, making positive contributions to economic development, increasing employment and improving people's livelihood in countries including Europe, and has become a popular international public product and platform for international cooperation.
Strengthening economy and promoting development
Ivanovich, a 58-year-old driver, knows the road conditions in Montenegro like the back of his hand. He started driving at the age of 18 and has been driving for 40 years. But every time he drives on a narrow and rugged mountain road, he feels scared. Ivanovich told reporters that Panshan Highway is narrow and steep, with many sharp turns, and some tunnels have no concrete support.
All this has changed since last July. The priority section of Heishan North-South Expressway, which was built by China Road and Bridge Engineering Co., Ltd., was officially opened to traffic, providing drivers with a safe and convenient choice.
Moreover, this project has brought many direct and indirect economic benefits to Montenegro, created better conditions for the recovery of tourism as a pillar industry, and provided a strong impetus for the overall economic development. In 2022, Montenegro's economy grew by 6.1% compared with the previous year, which was higher than the regional average.
From Piraeus Port in Greece to the North-South Expressway in Montenegro, from the Croatian Peleshac Bridge to the Hungarian Railway, the European regional projects initiated by "the belt and road initiative" have further promoted the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, ensured the stable and smooth supply chain of the regional industrial chain, highlighted the principles of benefit sharing, environmental friendliness and higher efficiency, and proved with solid and heavy achievements that building "the belt and road initiative" together is a sunshine avenue where China shares opportunities and seeks common development with the world.
Sustainable communication
In the past ten years, the "the belt and road initiative" project in Europe has blossomed and climbed to the next level. Not only is the quality excellent, but it is also increasing investment in the field of ecological protection, helping the European region to jointly build a country to achieve the goal of green transformation and sustainable development.
Shanghai Electric Power, the State Power Investment Corporation, has completed the transformation of the third phase power plant in Delimara, Malta. Sulfide, nitrogen oxides, solid particles and carbon emissions are far superior to the EU environmental protection standards, turning the former "big polluter" into a "green pioneer" and becoming the "artery" of Malta's power supply. David Griscitti, director of the production technology department of the power plant, participated in the whole transformation process. He expected Shanghai Electric Power to help Malta further expand the development and utilization of renewable energy.
As one of the largest photovoltaic projects in Hungary at present, the 100 MW photovoltaic power station project in Kaubosburg, invested by China National Machinery Import and Export (Group) Co., Ltd., is another example of the belt and road initiative's project in Europe helping to improve environmental governance and promote green development. After being put into operation in May 2021, the project will generate 130 million kWh of electricity every year, saving 45,000 tons of standard coal and reducing 120,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, which will greatly promote the development of renewable energy in Hungary.
The report released by Bruggaier Institute, a European think tank, points out that the "the belt and road initiative" initiative has withstood multiple challenges and tests in the past decade, and its global attention has increased significantly.
From promoting infrastructure interconnection, to promoting economic and trade cooperation, to achieving peaceful coexistence through cultural exchanges, Stefan Olsenkopp, an expert at Schiller Institute, a German think tank, described the unique charm of the "the belt and road initiative" initiative as a great civilization project and a grand vision for better harmonious coexistence among countries and cultures in the world.