At the opening sessions of the forum on April 25, President Putin praised Russia-China mutual efforts on trade, defense and economy, noting that their cooperation continue to expand.
The Russian leader applauded the Belt and Road Initiative stressing that the ambitious project is turning into a successful venture that will gradually expand its global reach.
China is hosting the second Belt and Road forum in Bejing this year to further advance and assert the support for its global trade initiative.
The Belt and Road initiative, often referred as 'the new Silk Road' was announced six years ago by President Xi Jinping during a state visit to Kazakhstan. The underlying idea behind the project is to establish and maintain trade corridors between more than 60 countries in Central Asia, Europe, and Africa. The idea is inspired by the legacy of the historic Silk Road that connected the East and the West for centuries.
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