Recent Activities of Leaders from the 22 Countries of the SSR

General News Recently, intensive high-level diplomatic activities have taken place across the 22 countries of the Southern Silk Road, featuring frequent multilateral meetings and cross-national visits. The 22 countries include China and Myanmar as starting points, ten countries on the Northwest Route: India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan; and ten countries on the Southeast Route: Laos, Thailand, Viet Nam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Brunei, Timor-Leste and Indonesia. Heads of state and government of these nations leverage platforms such as the BRICS Summit, bilateral state visits and ASEAN meetings to deepen cooperation in regional connectivity, trade and investment, cultural exchanges and sustainable development, practicing the cooperative vision of the Southern Silk Road.

President Xi Jinping of China attended the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India, and held bilateral talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two sides agreed to strengthen coordination on multilateral platforms including the United Nations, the SCO and G20, promote steady growth of bilateral trade, and jointly address global challenges.

President U Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar arrived in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on September 11 for a state visit. He held talks with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen and Prime Minister Hun Manet to consolidate traditional friendship and advance cooperation in tourism and people-to-people exchanges. Earlier, U Min Aung Hlaing visited Viet Nam and met with Vietnamese State President Luong Cuong, reaching consensus on cross-border security, agriculture, energy and infrastructure.

Ten Countries on the Northwest Route

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted the 18th BRICS Summit and received heads of state from multiple countries to discuss cooperation of the Global South. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan attended the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, where he met Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and UN Secretary-General António Guterres. After the summit, he plans to visit the Republic of Korea for the Central Asia-ROK Summit. President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan took part in the BRICS Summit and consulted with leaders from Central and South Asian nations on regional connectivity and energy cooperation. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended side events of BRICS and called on countries of the Global South to unite and safeguard the common interests of developing nations. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined BRICS-related activities and exchanged views on sustainable agriculture and public health. Senior officials of Nepal carried out diplomatic outreach on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit and pushed forward the Trans-Himalayan connectivity projects. Bhutan sent a diplomatic delegation to BRICS forums to discuss climate change and cultural tourism exchanges. Sri Lankan President Anura Dissanayake dispatched a high-level delegation to seek overseas investment in infrastructure. Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu participated in side conferences for the Global South, focusing on marine economy and climate finance. Tajik President Emomali Rahmon attended the BRICS Summit and discussed water resources and cross-border trade cooperation with neighboring states.

Ten Countries on the Southeast Route

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto attended the BRICS Summit in New Delhi. He called for stronger voice for the Global South and promoted the transformation of Indonesia’s grain industry. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim travelled to India for the BRICS Summit and held bilateral talks with President Tokayev of Kazakhstan on energy and digital trade. Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung attended the BRICS Summit and negotiated cross-border logistics and industrial investment with Kazakhstan’s president. Vietnamese State President Luong Cuong received Myanmar’s president during his earlier visit to Viet Nam. Thai Deputy Prime Minister Sihasaka took part in BRICS sessions and negotiated agricultural exports and tourism cooperation with Central Asian countries. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet hosted President U Min Aung Hlaing in Phnom Penh to deepen intra-ASEAN economic, trade and cultural exchanges. Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith met with Kazakhstan’s president previously to mark the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties and advance energy and cross-border transport projects. Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong participated in ASEAN meetings to promote regional economic integration. Philippine President Marcos prepared for the 48th ASEAN Summit and urged ASEAN unity to tackle energy and economic challenges. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei joined preparatory meetings for the ASEAN Summit. In early September, he met the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines to deepen judicial exchanges between the two countries. Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão of Timor-Leste attended the ASEAN Summit to continuously advance economic and cultural cooperation under the ASEAN framework.

The frequent interactions among leaders consolidate the foundation of cooperation for nations along the Southern Silk Road, advance experience sharing among Global South countries in economy, trade, energy, culture and public health, and promote win-win multilateral cooperation.