In 1988, UNESCO launched a 10-year project entitled “Integral Study of the Silk Roads: Roads of Dialogue” under which several expeditions were organized to retrace, by land and by sea, some of these routes.

The basic purpose of this project was to highlight the complex cultural interactions arising from the encounters between East and West, and helping to shape the rich common heritage of the Eurasian peoples.

Human beings have always moved from place to place (by land or by sea) and traded with their neighbors. Thus, through the ages, the immensity of Eurasia was criss-crossed with communication routes which gradually linked up to form what is known today as the Silk Road.

These vast networks carried more than just merchandise and precious commodities: the constant movement and mixing of populations also brought about the transmission of knowledge, ideas, cultures and beliefs, which had a profound impact on the history and civilizations of the Eurasian peoples, and that was the origin of the concept “one humanity and different cultures”.

The BRI is a just-in-time initiative.

The dream of global harmony is becoming universal and popular, derived from the fact that the world is now at crossroads, and has to select one of two alternatives. The first is to continue the same way (business as usual), facing a substantial risk of existence.

The second is to make a radical change in the world order and global governance toward the establishment of a rule-based global governance, leading to a modified form of globalization and to a desired global harmony.

In fact, the destruction to humanity (moral values) and of nature (environment) under current globalization should be legitimate reason to have global harmony through sincere dialogue of civilizations and people-to-people connections.

In addition, in the current civilization, if compared to older forms of civilizations, we find that the degree of interdependency is much higher and more complicated, which means that a partial failure can put human civilization at tremendous risk and may lead to a complete dissolution. For example, the 2008 financial crisis started in the US but had damaging global effect.

Therefore, under a world characterized by domination, unilateralism, protectionism and populism, a dream of a new world (or modified globalization) has become a global desire everywhere; aiming at globalization with the following characteristics:

Culture-based

Maximizes the quality of life for all

Forgiveness, not hostility

Recognizes the concept of one humanity – different cultures

Maximizes harmony between people and between people and nature.

Based on sustainable development

Interdependency based

Recognizes the concept of common destiny – common interests, or shared future for mankind.

The BRI offers a promising model for a community with shared future for mankind, which, in turn, serves the core of the initiative.

The model plan for the application of the concept is based on five principles, the basis of China's foreign policy of international cooperation: No interference in countries' pursuit of development paths that fit their national conditions; No interference in countries' internal affairs; No imposition of our will on countries; No attachment of political strings to assistance to any country; No seeking of selfish political gains in investment and financing cooperation.

The principles, also known as the “five-no” principle, have been practiced for decades in international relations, especially in relations between China and African countries.

To ensure on ground results leading to common development, down-to-earth approaches should be adopted that have been identified by President Xi Jinping in several occasions. They include increasing political and policy dialogue at various levels, ensuring cooperation deliver real benefits to people’s life, promoting cultural diversity as well as harmony between man and nature, and enhancing comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security.

An excellent example for such cooperation plans was clearly highlighted by President Xi in his speech during the last Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in September 2018. The eight-pronged plan Xi announced covers a wide spectrum of topics: industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity building, healthcare, people-to-people exchanges, and peace and security.

Targets set in the plan are attainable, taking into consideration the status quo of cooperation and the potential. For example, regarding industrial promotion, China will upgrade a number of economic and trade cooperation zones in Africa, supporting the continent in achieving general food security by 2030, and implement 50 agricultural assistance programs.

Detailed arrangements have been listed for each aspect. For example, the plan on healthcare proposed to upgrade 50 medical and health aid programs for Africa, particularly flagship projects such as the headquarters of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention and China-Africa Friendship Hospitals.

In addition, the plan adhere to the five priority areas identified by the BRI, namely: policy coordination, facility connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and people-people bonds. This, in turn, ensures that the plan is compatible with the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals, which are significantly correlated with the five BRI priority areas.

Finally, it should be emphasized that the world should seize this golden opportunity offered by the BRI, as a platform for global cooperation, and join hands and work together to create a universal community of shared future for mankind. Yes, it is a difficult task, but it should be remembered that achieving noble goals are always difficult, and requires honest and faithful efforts.

The author is a former prime minister of Egypt.

The author contributed this article to China Watch exclusively. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of China Watch.

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