Kairat Sarybay, secretary general of CICA Photo: Courtesy of CICA

The third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) is crucial for not just consultations on the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), but also the promotion of unity, cooperation and peace, at a time of global disruption and tension in hotspots in Asia, said Kairat Sarybay, secretary-general of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measure in Asia (CICA).

In an interview with the Global Times on Monday, Sarybay, who is in Beijing to attend the third BRF scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, said that CICA, a 28-member multinational forum for enhancing cooperation toward promoting peace, security and stability in Asia, has great synergy with the BRI in promoting connectivity, peace and development in the continent.

"The timing is crucial. In a time of global disruption, after the pandemic and with the new level of [tension] within hotspots, which are unfortunately taking place now in Asia, we have to talk about the uniting agenda. We have to talk about things that bring people together peacefully," Sarybay said, noting that connectivity is a major recipe for promoting cooperation, through which "we can talk about peace."

With the theme "High-quality Belt and Road Cooperation: Together for Common Development and Prosperity," the BRF draws leaders and representatives from more than 140 countries as well as 30 international organizations to take stock of the remarkable achievements of the BRI over the past decade and discuss future cooperation.

Sarybay recalled his experience as a diplomat at Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry in 2013 when he witnessed how the idea of building an "economic belt along the Silk Road" was proposed in Kazakhstan, saying that the idea immediately resonated with many in Central Asia.

"That was my first impression. I thought that the new shape of the Silk Road will bring benefits to the region… by connecting different continents, Asia and Europe, for instance," he said.

What has transpired over the past decade in terms of the joint construction of the BRI has exceeded expectations. "Nowadays, it turns into a global project" with the participation of more than 150 countries and the focus on boosting global connectivity, Sarybay said.

Over the past decade, the BRI has attracted widespread global participation and has achieved remarkable results in connecting the world. More than 150 countries and over 30 international organizations have signed BRI cooperation agreements with China. More than 3,000 cooperation projects have been initiated, according to official data.

Apart from the BRI, other major initiatives proposed by China, including the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, also underscored China's focus on multilateralism, of which CICA is also a staunch supporter, Sarybay said.

"The role of multilateral approaches is prevailing," the CICA secretary-general said, while rejecting unilateral sanctions and restrictions that seek to undermine global cooperation. "I do not believe that any restrictions or unilateral decisions… [contribute to] a more secure and safe world. I do not agree that you can stop economic relations."

Sarybay also expressed gratitude toward China's major contributions to CICA's efforts in boosting interaction and confidence in Asia, noting that China has supported the establishment of the organization from the start and helped organize a remarkable summit that produced outstanding declarations for future development and consistently provided voluntary inputs into the budget of the CICA secretariat.

"I'm very grateful to the Chinese government for this constant support," the CICA secretary general said.