What do Europeans think of the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative?
For citizens in the German city of Duisburg, it is the sirens of trains travelling thousands of miles all the way from China, bringing new jobs and vitality to their city.
For Randi Vinfeldt, who runs a 27-hectare organic pig farm in Ostrup, Denmark, the initiative is a shortcut to China's huge market, wher she can "get a good price" for her organic pigs.
For Dejan Gogic, a 37-year-old soya farmer from Belgrade, Serbia's capital, the initiative is a 1.8-km bridge taking its shape on the Sava River, connecting wilderness with future prosperity.
Some 2,000 years ago, our ancestors, trekking across vast steppes and deserts, opened the Silk Road connecting Asia, Europe and Africa. They were remembered not as conquerors but as friendly emissaries.
One year ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping said at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing that "history is our best teacher ... If we take the first courageous step towards each other, we can embark on a path leading to friendship, shared development, peace, harmony and a better future."
Now, with trains and ships loaded with goods from countries along the route, the initiative is increasingly seen as a bridge connecting hope and opportunity, and an express leading towards win-win results and common prosperity.
