The Belt and Road Initiative — Our Shared Path Young Voices from around the World, Blend into One Harmonious Tune of the Silk Road

"The Silk Road, the road of my dreams; The Silk Road, the path to global prosperity; Along the Belt and Road Initiative, hand in hand, the world walks together; It makes my dreams come true, right in front of my eyes......" Whenever this melody plays, Anya, a Samoa international student, is instantly taken back to the days she spent creating the song "Road of Our Dreams" with her choir friends.

As an international student, Anya's connection with China began long before she arrived. Among her eight siblings, four have studied in China. "My brothers and sisters always told me stories about China, the lively streets, and the warmth and kindness of the people. Since I was little, I dreamed of seeing this faraway country myself." In 2019, that dream finally came true. With a Chinese Government Scholarship, Anya studied at the University of International Business and Economics and later at Tiangong University. Tianjin quickly won her heart with its vitality and warmth. "The city has both the charm of its ancient cultural street and the energy of a modern metropolis. And Tianjin people are so warm; they helped me feel at home right away, and Tianjin became my second hometown."

In her spare time, Anya threw herself into cultural and artistic activities. The idea for "Road of Our Dreams" came from an offline gathering of her choir. Back in December 2020, a group of music-loving international students formed the "StudyinChina Cloud Choir," overcoming distance and time zones. They came from diverse countries, with different skin colors and languages, yet music and the BRI brought them together. They sang and talked through screens, building bonds across cultures even before meeting in person. In 2023, on the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative, the choir finally met offline. Sitting together, they shared stories of how their home countries had participated in the BRI, and talked about their experiences studying in China. That's when Anya had an idea: Why not write a song that captures this friendship across borders, their hopes for the BRI, and the warmth and strength they felt in China, and share it with the world?

Everyone loved the idea. They got down to work immediately, but the process was far more challenging than expected. According to the choir leader, Korean student Shin Moon-sub, even selecting who would join the team took nearly a month. Writing lyrics, composing music, planning and filming the MV, each step came with new challenges. What made it even more special was that students from all over the world wanted to include memories and feelings of how the BRI was involved with their own countries. Differences were inevitable. But instead of backing away, they chose patience and collaboration. They met online after classes, listened to one another's, stories, and refined every line and melody. Bit by bit, they poured their love for China and their hopes for the Belt and Road Initiative into the song. "When the music starts, all the barriers between countries and people just fade away," Shin said. His words captured what everyone felt, and also reflected their deeper understanding of the BRI spirit of cooperation and mutual benefit.

Creating the song also helped the students understand China better and deeper. They saw how China embraces the world with openness and inclusiveness, building bridges for communication and cooperation. They realized that the Belt and Road Initiative isn't just a slogan; it is tangible, shared development of China and countries across the world. Through this experience, they are no longer mere onlookers of China, but active participants in China’s friendship with the world and inheritors of the BRI spirit. Through exchanges and cultural integration, they have truly felt China’s warmth and sense of responsibility, and come to understand China’s wish of pursuing peaceful development and mutual benefit for all.

Inspired by the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese universities have opened their doors wider, offering diverse opportunities for students from partner countries. The Silk Road Chinese Government Scholarship has helped countless young people pursue their dreams in China. More and more students like Anya and Shin are coming to China, learning Chinese knowledge, experiencing Chinese warmth, feeling China's friendship, and understanding China's responsibility. They tell China's stories in their own ways, letting the world see a China that is open, inclusive, warm, and strong.

Voices from around the world blend into one harmonious tune, and youth continue to write new chapters along the Silk Road. In the future, the "StudyinChina Cloud Choir" will keep singing across borders, spreading friendship, sharing stories of China and the world walking forward together. And the Belt and Road Initiative will continue to pool global strength and light up the path toward shared development for all mankind, as these young inheritors carry forward and put into practice China’s friendship with other countries. Youthful dreams will blossom along with the Belt and Road Initiative, and the flower of China-foreign friendship will stay forever in full bloom through constant exchanges and mutual integration.（Jinyun news reporters/ Zhang Jing, Sun Chang, Liu Ying; Design and production/Wang Shuyao, Fei Teng）