"The first decade of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation has been a decade of hardware construction. The second decade should be one of improving quality and efficiency, and deepening people-to-people bonds."

On the eve of the Two Sessions, Shi Qianping, Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Supervisor of the China Overseas Chinese Entrepreneurs Association, said in an exclusive interview that from 2023 to 2025, he has consistently made people-to-people bonds under the BRI the core focus of his policy proposals.

Why has he focused on the same topic for three consecutive years? "State-to-state relations hinge on people-to-people affinity, which in turn relies on heart-to-heart connectivity." Shi Qianping noted that China, together with BRI partner countries, has promoted large-scale infrastructure projects such as high-speed railways and ports, which have significantly improved local operational conditions. However, "large investment does not equal strong perception." China's development and progress must deliver a greater sense of gain to the people of partner countries.

"Only by promoting policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, unimpeded trade, and financial integration through people-to-people bonds can the BRI truly take root locally, benefit the people, and achieve common prosperity."

In Shi Qianping's view, overseas Chinese, who connect China and the world and are familiar with local customs and cultures, are natural bridges for exchanges between China and foreign countries. "The overseas Chinese community should carry out more livelihood-oriented actions and cultural exchanges that meet the needs of local people, so that the BRI's second decade can achieve in-depth people-to-people bonds."

As one of the donors to the China Overseas Chinese Public Welfare Foundation, Shi Qianping has supported the foundation's livelihood assistance projects in Mandalay Province, Myanmar, for many years, including organizing medical teams to perform sight-restoring surgeries for cataract patients.

He said that when the gauze was slowly removed after the surgery, patients repeatedly expressed "Thank you, China." "What we brought was not only doctors, equipment, and medicine, but also sincere care, which effectively helped local people regain their sight and improve their lives."

Shi Qianping believes that livelihood assistance actions may seem trivial, but they let local people feel warmth and respect. Those whose lives have been brightened will become "warm sparks" telling China's goodwill, gathering more popular support for the long-term development of the BRI. "Soft investment in people's livelihoods and hard investment in infrastructure are two sides of the same coin. Only with in-depth people-to-people connectivity can the initiative truly take root locally."

As more and more Chinese managers settle overseas, aligning their children's education with China's curriculum has become a practical challenge for many families. Shi Qianping said, "I suggest exploring the establishment of international schools in key countries and regions that seamlessly connect with China's compulsory education. This is a humanitarian gesture to overseas builders, making the BRI's deep cultivation more warm-hearted."

Source: China News Service