BRI remains central to bilateral cooperation: Malaysian official

This aerial photo taken on April 26, 2023 shows a construction site of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), a major infrastructure project under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Kelantan, Malaysia. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), with its unprecedented opportunities, remains at the center of Malaysia-China cooperation, a Malaysian official said on Thursday.

The BRI framework continues to be a key platform in various fields, including infrastructure development, connectivity, trade facilitation, and people-to-people exchanges, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof said in his keynote speech at the Silk Road and Asian Civilization Forum 2024.

"By leveraging the synergies between our economies and harnessing the transformative power of the BRI, we can unlock new avenues of growth, create jobs, and improve the livelihoods of our people," he said that this is in the spirit of the ancient Silk Road that had brought prosperity through connectivity.

This aerial photo taken on April 26, 2023 shows a beam yard of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), a major infrastructure project under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Kelantan, Malaysia. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

The forum is part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. It aims to enhance the understanding of the modern Silk Road and its role in facilitating international connections and includes an international audience, the organizer said.

Ananda Prasad Pokharel, general secretary of Friends of Silk Road Club-Nepal, said in his speech that the Silk Road, an ancient network of trade routes spanning thousands of miles, holds "a special place in history, not just as a conduit for the exchange of goods but also as a bridge for the exchange of ideas, cultures, and values across the globe."

"The BRI seeks to promote economic connectivity and cooperation among countries along the historic Silk Road routes, with the aim of fostering shared prosperity and development," he said.