In May 2017, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the launching of “Silk Road NGO Cooperation Network (SIRONET)” at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which was widely echoed by countries along the Belt and Road Initiative. By the end of October, more than 270 Chinese and overseas NGOs have joined SIRONET.
To make SIRONET an effective platform for NGOs to exchange information, coordinate actions and strengthen cooperation, its initiator China NGO Network for International Exchanges (CNIE) will hold the first Silk Road NGO Cooperation Network Forum from November 21 to 22, 2017. On the theme of “NGO’s Mission in Jointly Developing the Belt and Road Initiative and a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind”, the Forum aims at implementing the consensus reached at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, pooling together people’s wisdom and strength along the route, and jointly developing the Belt and Road Initiative and a community with a shared future for mankind. Participants will have in-depth discussions on “opportunities and challenges facing NGOs in advancing the Belt and Road Initiative and building a community with a shared future for mankind”, “people-to-people exchanges and connectivity” and “building SIRONET mechanism”. They will work together to plan for the SIRONET development and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation along the route.
The forum will invite 200 principals from SIRONET member organizations, among whom 100 are from overseas NGOs. Participants also include former senior state leaders, UN officials and representatives from the Chinese branch of international organizations. The Forum will cover two days, including the opening ceremony, plenary session, parallel sessions, closing ceremony and study tours. The Forum will discuss and adopt the Constitution of the Silk Road NGO Cooperation Network (Trial Implementation) and Beijing Consensus for the Silk Road NGO Cooperation Network, establish SIRONET International Instruction Committee and Secretariat, and present the cooperation outcomes of Chinese and overseas NGOs.
Founded in October 2005, CNIE is China’s biggest umbrella organization of NGOs dedicated to exchanging with international and domestic NGOs, facilitating Chinese NGOs’ communication and cooperation with international NGOs and strengthening people-to-people friendship. CNIE enjoys a general consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council; it has 265 member organizations and over 180 council members. The incumbent President is Mr Sun Jiazheng, Vice Chairman of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.