The launch ceremony of the United Nations Maritime-Continental Silk Road Cities Alliance Business Council (SRCBC) held in Jinjiang, Fujian province on Nov 8.

The launch ceremony of the United Nations Maritime-Continental Silk Road Cities Alliance Business Council (SRCBC) held in Jinjiang, Fujian province on Nov 8. And the same day, first session of SRCBC also get conducted.

A total of 358 representatives from 22 countries and regions, 11 domestic cities, 20 overseas commerce organizations and 75 domestic commerce organizations participated in the event.

During the session, Xu Lianjie, deputy president of All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and CEO of Hengan International Group was the first to be appointed as the president of SRCBC. Chen Yongzai, Honorary President of Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chanbers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) has been announced to be the honorary president of SRCBC.

According to the session, the first batch of the SRCBC members will have 22 groups, 29 individuals, 10 stewards, and also 21 representatives from domestic and overseas commercial organizations and enterprises to be the observers. The Secretariat of SRCBC will be permanently set up in Quanzhou, Fujian province. An aviation logistics branch and a food and agricultural branch will be set up in the future to look for breakthrough for raising industries of SRCBC.

In addition, several agreements were signed in the ceremony on the fields of investment, construction and industries including BOC-Quanzhou Silk Road Fund Agreement by Fujian Branch, Bank of China (BOC) and SRCBC, the Framework Agreement on Strategic Cooperation in the Halal Sector by China Chamber of International Commerce, Quanzhou Chamber of Commerce and Malaysia National SME Council (NASMEC) and a series of banks singed funding agreements with SRCBC on a total amount of 50 billion yuan ($7.85 billion).

Xu Lianjie, the first president of SRCBC gave a speech in the event. He said that the fundamental way out for mutual development of the maritime and continental Silk Road cities lies in the economic integration and cooperation, which means that the business is the point.

Experts say that the establishment of SRCBC is an attempt and innovation for cross-region and inter-agency cooperation, pushing forward "One Belt and One Road" initiative with special power.

Edited by Shahnawaz Akhtar