Andrei Ostrovsky, the chief researcher of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said in an exclusive interview with reporters recently that China's initiative to jointly build the "the Belt and Road" has brought new development opportunities to participating countries and contributed to global common development. Ostrovsky said that the "the Belt and Road" initiative, based on the principle of mutual benefit, aims to promote the common development of the international community, and provides opportunities for countries to speed up the construction of modern infrastructure and significantly enhance economic potential. He recalled that in order to promote the implementation of the "the Belt and Road" initiative, China has introduced a series of policies and promoted the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the the Silk Road Fund, etc. Through cooperation, many countries have obtained facilities that were previously difficult to build solely based on their own capabilities, creating excellent conditions for subsequent development, and these facilities have become their long-term wealth. Ostrovsky, who has been engaged in China research for a long time, was deeply impressed by the construction of the China Laos railway. He said that Laos had almost no modern railways before, which seriously hindered its economic and social development. After the opening and operation of the China Laos Railway, Laos ushered in new development opportunities, which greatly boosted the local economy and trade. Ostrovsky spoke highly of the achievements of the joint construction of the "the Belt and Road" initiative over the past decade. He said that after the launch of the "the Belt and Road" initiative, the total import and export value of China and the countries jointly building the "the Belt and Road" continued to increase in the proportion of China's total foreign trade value in the same period, which had risen to more than 40% by 2023, indicating that the initiative has played a positive role in promoting trade and had a significant impact. He said that not only China, but also the countries jointly building the "the Belt and Road" are also growing in foreign trade volume. Some European and American experts who were initially skeptical have also changed their views, believing that this initiative not only promotes the economic development of China and the co building countries, but also promotes interconnectivity among countries and expands the world market. Ostrovsky believes that the joint construction of the "the Belt and Road" initiative reflects China's efforts to promote the reform of the global governance system and enhance the role of the global southern countries in the world economy. Against the backdrop of rising protectionism in Western countries, developing countries should leverage this initiative to strengthen cooperation and take measures to ensure the stability and smooth operation of the global value chain. (New Society)