Global policymakers and top minds from the infrastructure sector on Wednesday shed new light on how international construction efforts and next-generation infrastructure help contribute to global growth, with China’s resolve to continue deepening global infrastructure connectivity — epitomized by the latest results from the China-led Belt and Road Initiative — put under the spotlight.

They made their remarks at the opening ceremony of the 16th edition of the International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum and Exhibition (IIICF). Running until Thursday, the three-day event combines exchanges between stakeholders with innovation solutions that have recently emerged in the industry.

In 2024, China’s foreign-contracted infrastructure projects notched up a turnover of $160 billion, representing a growth rate of over 3 percent. The amount of newly signed contracts reached a record $267.3 billion, Yan Dong, vice-minister of the Ministry of Commerce, announced in a video address during the ceremony.

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Yan noted that several large-scale projects are in operation or heading toward becoming operational, serving as flagship projects of the connectivity network under the BRI.

China will continue to adhere to and promote its cooperative philosophy of joint development and shared benefits, encouraging capable Chinese enterprises to contribute to global infrastructure investment, construction, and industrial integration under the BRI, Yan said.

The vice-minister also identified development-driven shared prosperity, open and inclusive partnerships, and innovation-empowered digital and green transition as three major pillars for future global infrastructure cooperation.

The IIICF, which is looking to bridge more international infrastructure projects and deliver a boost to joint construction for all participating countries and regions under the BRI, was praised as an outstanding example of Macao’s burgeoning MICE — meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions — sector, Tai Kin-ip, Macao’s secretary for economy and finance, said.

Addressing the ceremony, Tai said that the Macao SAR government has been solidifying the city’s strategic positioning as “one center, one platform, one base”  — a reference to its ambitions to become a world-class tourism and leisure center, an economic and trade cooperation platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, and a cultural exchange and cooperation base.

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Macao’s best formula for development is to leverage robust national support and global connectivity, and keep playing to its institutional strengths under “one country, two systems”, Tai said.

This year’s IIICF is hosted at scale, bringing together nearly 70 officials and diplomats from 70 countries and regions, who were flanked by about 3,500 top-level business delegates from around the globe.

Noaman Amjad, executive vice-president of Hitachi Energy, who has been engaging with China in business for decades, shared his enthusiasm for the event with China Daily after attending the opening ceremony.

“I don’t get so surprised by things connected to China now, but I was blown away by the sheer scale of this event … the large number of attendees, the diversified settings. You’ve got people from all over. That gives us a view of the global reach of China now,” said Amjad.

The Belt and Road Infrastructure Development Index (2025) and the Portuguese-speaking Countries’ Infrastructure Development Index (2025), along with related reports, were released as part of the ceremony.

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An 8,000-square-meter infrastructure exhibition is being hosted concurrently with the IIICF, bringing together some of the world’s top 250 international contractors and leading players in the sphere.

Since its inception in 2010, the IIICF has hosted over 630 ministerial-level guests and helped establish a global network of more than 30,000 industry leaders.

Contact the writer at wanqing@chinadailyhk.com