On April 19, 2024, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng visited Harvard University and had a fireside chat with Founding Dean of Harvard Kennedy School Prof. Graham Allison.

When responding to a question on the Belt and Road initiative (BRI), Ambassador Xie said that China has always adhered to the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits in advancing Belt and Road cooperation, so as to facilitate the revitalization of all countries and inject momentum into common development. 

He recalled that when he served as China's Ambassador to Indonesia, he personally took part in the construction of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway. Initially, there were worries that the demand would be weak. But after the railway was completed, it has not only witnessed a robust demand but also stimulated the high-speed railway economy along the line. It has not only boosted infrastructure connectivity, but also brought the hearts of the Chinese and Indonesian peoples closer. This has proven that high-quality industrial capacity is not excessive globally. On the contrary, it will generate more effective demands and boost economic growth.

Ambassador Xie pointed out that the BRI is not a geopolitical tool, but a widely popular global public good. Instead of being intended for bloc confrontation, it is an open and inclusive platform for international cooperation. The facts have debunked those narratives smearing and spreading doom and gloom about the initiative. The obsession with hegemony is not in China’s DNA. China is neither Athens nor Sparta. Assuming China would surely tread the old path taken by traditional Western powers is a serious miscalculation, and those believing “strength determines the intention” are basically imposing their mindset on others. China will always be a member of the developing world, and is ready to share development dividends with other countries.