Xi pledges efforts to promote Maritime Silk Road

Chinese PresidentXi Jinping today vowed to take efforts to "promote" the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road under which China plans to make massive investments in various ports around the world, including the Indian Ocean.
Xi said the Belt and Road Initiative, the official name for the multi-billion dollar Silk Road projects, has been widely recognised in international society since it was put forward which shows that it accords with the will of the people.
"We will promote China's great opening up and development under the 'Belt and Road' framework, and further promote the realisation of the 'two centenary goals,' and the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," he said while visiting the Tieshan Port in Guangxi's Beihai City.

China will hold a Silk Road Summit on May 14-15 here in which Presidents and Prime Ministers from 28 countries will take part.
16 Foreign Ministers and Vice Ministers, 190 officials of 92 countries will take part in thesummitwhich would discuss various aspect of the project, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday.
He said India too sending a representative.

India has objected to the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, (CPEC) which is part of the Silk Road.
The One Belt One Road (OBOR), includes amazeof connectivity projects connecting China with Euro Asia besides the neighbourhood.
It includes 21st century maritime silk road to connect China with different ports in the world as well as the CPEC and the BCIM.

While India has reservations over the maritime silk road as it impacts the Indian Ocean which is pivotal for India's security interests, it has backed the Bangladesh China India Myanmar (BCIM) economic corridor and actively supports it.