EVENTS
Event Highlights
Seminar on “The Development of the Ancient Silk Road and China's Belt and Road Initiative”
2025-08-18
On 18 August, Mr Alex Wong, CEO of Maritime Silk Road Society (MSRS) was invited by the Hong Kong Metropolitan University to make a presentation entitled "The Development of the Ancient Silk Road and China's Belt and Road Initiative." The event aimed to help some 20 students gain a deeper understanding of the historical and cultural significance of the Maritime Silk Road and its role in contemporary international cooperation, preparing them for their upcoming overseas exchange programme in Brunei.
Mr Wong began with a concise introduction to the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), emphasizing the importance of peaceful cooperation, openness, inclusiveness, mutual learning, and win-win benefits. He elaborated on how the initiative promotes practical cooperation on multiple fronts.
He then shared achievements from the BRI over the past 12 years, noting that China's direct investment in participating countries has exceeded $270 billion. Additionally, over 80 overseas economic and trade cooperation zones have been established along the route, creating more than 420,000 jobs.
In the final part of the lecture, Mr Wong focused on Brunei's role within the BRI. He pointed out that as a maritime nation in ASEAN, Brunei serves as an important bridge in the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, particularly during the upgrade of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area. Furthermore, Brunei actively participates in the Asian Cultural Heritage Protection Initiative, collaborating with China to restore historical sites along the Maritime Silk Road, thereby promoting cultural exchange and deepening mutual understanding between the two countries.
