Belt & Road World Union (abbreviated BARWU), is a non-profit organization that is registered in Stockholm in March 2017. The establishment of the organization has been initiated by a group of corporate leaders and entrepreneurs in Europe, aiming to help member countries, member organizations and member companies to get engaged in the Belt and Road Initiative for sharing of the development opportunities and benefits.
Belt & Road World Union is a centralized organization that will establish an affiliated council in each and every country in the world. It will work at three different levels, regional and corporate level, country level and international level, providing all members with concretisized help and benefits. The global headquarter will be established in Sweden with offices, conference facilities and accommodation for the members.
Setting up a worldwide organization as “Belt & Road World Union” is actually very logical in its nature, complying with the demand of the new era.
Firstly, as a country having taken the responsibility as a big nation in the global governance, China has mobilized the whole nation to start up the One Belt One Road Initiative. This is after all a kind of contribution which will definitely further push forward the globalization process of every country. We other countries cannot just stand and watch. We must also take our part of the responsibility and make some moves.
Secondly, it’s obvious that the Chinese government can neither just try to push and sell the Initiative all by itself which would look too forceful and would easily get counter effects, nor lead an organization as B&R World Union.
Thus, it would be natural and most suitable that we as a nongovernmental force to take this task. This action itself can be seen as a gift back to China, as our gratitude towards its undertaking for the world.
And thirdly, Sweden, as a peace nation without war for 200 years, a neutral country, the first Western country that recognized the New China and the country that accepted and set up the first Confucius Institute in Europe, has always kept good feelings for China. And this time, that a group of Swedish entrepreneurs have taken the initiative in founding the “Belt & Road World Union” is also perfectly justifiable. This is a conscious action for the benefits of the whole world!
The critical point of this union is obviously Europe, since the train of OBOR starting from China and crossing the Eurasia continent is destined to Europe. If Europe is not receiving and not cooperating, that would be a fiasco.
So BARWU will start from Europe and mobilize the European countries. We shall get to understand the real meaning of OBOR from the European perspectives and create the European stories of OBOR. We’d need to touch the European hearts so that the Europeans would welcome and embrace the OBOR with sincerity. That would be our main task in the starting period.
1) From the larger perspective we know that globalization is the trend, and BARWU is just providing a huge service platform in the process of this globalization. So participating in the union would get you ACCESS to a world of opportunities.
2) There are for example many SMEs in Europe that possess good technologies and enjoy certain markets. These companies could utilize Chinese members in BARWU for getting strategic investors so that they could on one hand open CHINA MARKET and on the other hand jointly enter a THIRD MARKET!
3) Concerning the cooperation in global production capacity, Western countries could assist Chinese manufacturing industries in UPGRADING and together carry out businesses in a third country. This shall include both capital and technology.
4) Some former colonial powers such as GB, France, Holland etc. could utilize their deep-rooted expertise and advantages and join hands with Chinese enterprises to develop and participate in various projects in their former colonies.
5) At present, China is actually leading in quite many fields. So we should, on one hand, open our eyes to realize this fact, and on the other hand, be modest and inclusive in win-win cooperation. Examples are such areas as internet based economy, sharing economy, high-speed trains, nuclear power technology, etc.
After the intensive initial period of PR activities, we can imagine that whether it is in different parts of the world or in different regions within China, local governments and various enterprises would line up in joining BARWU. This is because we believe that the big platform of the organization can bring them visible, realistic and solid benefits.
Just imagine, a platform consisting of more than 200 countries/regions. Whatever an idea, or an event, or a project, we can announce, publicize and spread at once and simultaneously……
- What kind of organization is BARWU?
BARWU is a non-profit, international and independent organization. It is non-political, non-ethnical, non-religious, non-cultural.
- When and where is BARWU established?
It is adopted, approved and formally registered in March 23, 2017 in Stockholm, at Skatteverket (Tax Authority of Sweden).
- What is the mission and vision of BARWU?
• Mission: To actively participate, support and promote the One Belt One Road Initiative in various countries in the world, so that all the member countries shall prosper together in a peaceful manner and share the benefits in the process of implementation of the Initiative.
• Vision: To utilize fully flexibility and influence power as a NGO, and become the most powerful force in the joint building of the future of Human Community.
- How and at what cost to become a member in BARWU?
BARWU is a centralized and united organization which implicates that a branch organization is set up in a country/region, under the name of Belt and Road Promotion Council. Companies or organizations can join as a member in its own specific country/region. The membership fee will be different, which will be decided by the individual country council.
- What benefits in becoming a member?
• The primary and the foremost benefit a member can enjoy is the unique access to the vast network that BARWU possesses, since it has its own organization in each and every country. This includes naturally the huge partnership network with the 22 provinces within China which are included in the One Belt One Road Initiative.
• Various events, forums, conferences, meetings concerning projects, investments, trade, match-making, etc. will be held on a regular base, both locally and globally, in which all the members can participate.
• All these activities will be conducted both online and offline.
- Where is the headquarter of BARWU?
The headquarter will be in Sweden. An acquisition of a premise/office building is under discussion at this moment.
- How is BARWU financed?
It is mostly financed by the donations and contributions of corporations, individuals, other organizations. Other financial sources will be membership fees, service charges, etc..