Guangzhou grows value in the B&R Initiative

Guangzhou took center stage yet again at the Leaders Roundtable of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Beijing on May 15, with five countries from five continents praising the city.

The global plaudits come on the back of the success the Guangdong capital had in March, after it broadcasted a week-long promotional video for the city in New York City's iconic Times Square.

At the roundtable, five letters of admiration as well as five symbolic flowers where presented to Guangzhou – kapok from Argentina, jasmine form Pakistan, lotus from Egypt, rose from the UK, and orchid from Singapore.

Five letters sent from five countries convey their best wishes to the Guangdong province capital for setting sail on the 21st Maritime Silk Road. [Photo provided by Guangzhou municipal party committee publicity bureau]

The flowers and letters also expressed good luck to Guangzhou, birthplace of the Maritime Silk Road, as it embarks on the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

Guangzhou is the birthplace of the Maritime Silk Road and nicknamed "Millennium Commercial City", according to the Wall Street Journal. The city has been playing a great role in connecting China with other countries and regions along the route.

Guangzhou has seized the opportunities afforded it along the Belt and Road, establishing friendly relations with various cities in Asia, Europe and Africa.

At the roundtable Krzsztof Pentkovsky, vice-mayor of Lodz, Poland, who has visited Guangzhou, spoke of the city's excellent education, urban renewal and upgrading.

"Guangzhou is among the centers of Chinese education and has strong power in high-tech, research and development," said Krzsztof. "Also, quite a number of enterprises hope to invest in Guangzhou's logistics and food industries."

The southern Chinese city has grown to be an international exchange center and an intersection of international trade.

Currently, Guangzhou has forged sister-city ties with 36 cities, such as Phnom Penh in Cambodia and the Czech capital Prague in 2013, as well as friendly-city ties with 29 cities, including Saint Petersburg in Russia and Mombasa in Kenya.

Guangzhou is home to 59 consulates, 23 of them along the route, and the city expects to use the initiative to expand its circle of friends in the Middle East and West Africa.

Guangzhou is opening up to the world, innovating fast, and connecting China and the countries and regions along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.