On December 8^th 2019, the First Session of the First General Assembly and the First Meeting of the First Council of the Belt and Road International Lawyers Association (hereinafter referred as BRILA) were held in Guangzhou, China. The Constitution and Membership Fee Standard of BRILA were reviewed and adopted, and the President, Vice-President and Secretary-General of BRILA were elected, marking the formal establishment of BRILA. 16 bar associations and legal organizations as well as 26 law firms from 36 countries and regions plus 9 practicing lawyers from aboard, 31 provincial lawyer’s associations and 3 individuals in China became founding members of BRILA.

The Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013. It is proposed to give full play to the existing bilateral and multilateral mechanisms between China and relevant countries, effectively utilize regional cooperation platforms to carry forward the Silk Road spirit, hold high the banner of peaceful development, and actively develop economic cooperative partnership with countries along the route, so as to jointly build a community with shared interests, destiny and responsibility featuring political mutual trust, economic integration and cultural inclusiveness. More than 150 countries and international organizations have signed cooperation agreements with China. It has opened up a new space for world economic growth, set up a new platform for international trade and investment, expanded new practices for improving global economic governance, and made new contributions to enhancing people's livelihood and well-being of all countries and has become the road for opportunity and prosperity.

The BRILA was established in response to China's Belt and Road Initiative. Since May 2017, it had been more than two years when BRILA was formally established in December 2019. The establishment of BRILA would not be possible without the efforts and hard work of both international and Chinese colleagues and friends from the legal area. The BRILA carries the longing and expectation of Chinese lawyers to enter the international arena and shoulders the mission and responsibility of facilitating the legal services and cooperation in BRI countries and regions. Since the official founding of BRILA, all the work has progressed smoothly and orderly, and the key tasks in next period and exchange and cooperation programs have been initially formed.

In order to further promote the substantive operation of BRILA, the official website of the association will be opened from today. I do hope that we can strengthen exchanges and deepen cooperation through the website, follow the development principle of extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefits, and join hands with colleagues and friends form the legal area of various countries to consolidate the connectivity, so as to make joint efforts to realize the blueprint of BRI featuring policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration and closer people-to-people ties, and make due contributions to building a better world based on the rule of law.