China to host Belt and Road forum in October, says foreign ministry

BEIJING — China will hold the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing in October, the foreign ministry said today.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a global infrastructure development strategy China launched a decade ago to connect Asia with Africa and Europe via land and maritime routes.

Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the 10th anniversary of the BRI is also “an important platform for all parties to discuss and develop high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.”

The Chinese side is in communication with all parties on the preparations for the forum and will release relevant information in due course, he said.

Russian media had earlier reported that President Vladimir Putin plans to visit China, coinciding with the BRI forum.