LEADING EFFORTS

Based on the conviction for a shared future, Xi has reiterated China's pledge to greater openness on several occasions. On that front, China is walking the walk.

By hosting the first-ever China International Import Expo in Shanghai in November this year, China reaffirmed its commitment to free and balanced trade, and once again demonstrated that the country will not close its door to the world.

China remains a stabilizing factor in the world economy through rigorous changes at home as it marks the 40th anniversary of its reform and opening-up policy, experts have observed.

Globally, China has been leading efforts in building an inclusive and reasonable multilateral system.

From the BRI to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, from championing dialogue and consultation on pressing global issues to advocating regional cooperation and integration, China has infused a dose of confidence and certainty into the world through a series of practical endeavors.

China is offering new models of growth by promoting a more open global economy and stepped-up cooperation, Enrique Dussel Peters, head of the China-Mexico Studies Center at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, told Xinhua.

Who is better than China to champion these measures, Dussel said, noting that over the past 40 years, China has undertaken a "very successful" reform and opening-up process that has been acknowledged across the globe.

CREATING SYNERGY

Xi's diplomatic visions have increasingly become an inspiration for other countries, while more and more governments are motivated to participate in China-proposed initiatives and willing to align their development plans with those of China.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has reiterated that the BRI and its flagship project in Pakistan, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, will be a win-win in the region and beyond.

The Nation, an English-language daily in Pakistan, quoted him as saying that he has followed Xi closely as a statesman, and that his government is also keen to learn from China's experience in combatting poverty and fighting corruption.

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said in an interview with Chinese media before Xi's state visit to his country that he thinks the BRI holds relevance for Portugal.

"I think we have enabled convergence in this regard," Rebelo de Sousa said, citing the strategic location of Portugal as a gateway to Europe on the sea.

The BRI, proposed by China five years ago, has grown into a platform for all parties to share opportunities and pursue common development. Over 140 countries and international organizations have signed BRI cooperation documents with China.

"Most economists recognize you cannot have long-term, even medium-term growth without investment in infrastructure," Stephen Perry, chairman of Britain's 48 Group Club said.

The BRI "is transformational because it's transnational," Perry said, "so infrastructure development under the framework can become more inclusive in development."