China's proposed Belt and Road Initiative is expected to bring significant changes to countries along and beyond the ancient Silk Road. However, for each country involved, how to take advantage of the initiative to develop its own economy is a challenge. Understanding related policies, people and China's economy might be helpful. Twenty-four government officials and finance professionals from 24 countries in the south part of the globe or the south part of the North Hemisphere have finished a study tour of China-initiated international financial organizations and China's banking sector.

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank officials Uwe Wixforth (center) and Fang Ke (left）talk with 24 government officials and finance professionals from 24 South countries at the headquarters of AIIB in Beijing on June 27, 2017. Birhanu Tadesse Daba (right), who works with Ethiopia's Ministry of Finance and Economic Cooperation, is one of the visitors. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]