Establishing a new type of think tank platform, pooling resources to develop 'One Belt One Road' community: Zhao Baige

Zhao Baige, member of NPC Standing Committee, Vice Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of NPC, speaks at the Silk Road Forum, Nov 6, 2015.[Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Research and Development International (RDI) was established under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences at the beginning of 2015. As an new type of international think tank platform with Chinese features, the RDI pools various resources of Chinese and international political parties, governments, parliaments, official think-tanks, think tanks, enterprises, financial institutions, international organizations, social organizations and media institutions. It centers on key international projects to drive research and development, and is currently focusing on the "One Belt One Road" Initiative.

The RDI is a platform for resources integration. It pools advantageous resources, connects development needs, assesses comprehensive environments, identifies risk factors, puts forward response strategies and provides systematic services through the joint efforts of government, market and society as well as via multilateral and bilateral mechanisms. The RDI establishes a platform for international and domestic cooperation, supports talents of all levels in various sectors to show themselves in macro governance, middle management and micro implementation. The RDI also provides intellectual support to the "One Belt One Road" Initiative through such modes as high-level advocacy, coordination and cooperation, policy service, capacity building, publicity and promotion and project advancement.

The first move of the RDI is to establish a Platform of to pool intellectual resources, including the 40 institutes of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and other think tanks. These institutes have in-depth studies on the countries and regions along the "One Belt One Road", putting forward the needs of relevant countries and regions in particular.

The second move is to achieve the concentration and integration of industries. Lawyers' associations, standards associations, medical associations and private enterprises associations can all achieve resources integration, demand connection and practical operation through this platform in a virtual operational mode.

The third move is to offer comprehensive service and systematic guidance to provide those enterprises engaging in the Belt and Road Initiative with comprehensive and systematic support in the forms of "going global" policies, industries, laws, standards, information, investment and financing, and typical cases.

So far, the RDI has completed the flagship project of the "One Belt One Road" Service Platform for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. In April 2016, the RDI, together with Kazakhstan, will start building the Service Platform of China-Kazakhstan Economic Corridor.

According to Zhao, RDI upholds three principles in serving the "One Belt One Road" Initiative. First, demand orientation. All work must be on the cooperative basis of the host country's developmental needs. Second, project orientation. Without project, everything is just a concept. Third, outcome orientation. By the joint action of countries and regions along the routes, and through the PPP cooperation mode among government, enterprise and society, we will make due contributions to achieving the goals of the "One Belt One Road" Initiative.