The Belt and Road Studies Network (BRSN), co-initiated by Xinhua Institute and 15 other think tanks, was inaugurated in Beijing on April 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

BEIJING, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Belt and Road Studies Network (BRSN) held a meeting of its Initiators Council on Thursday, both online and offline.

The council reviewed its work since the last meeting, discussed work for the next stage, and elected a new chairperson.

He Ping, the newly-elected chairperson of the council and president of Xinhua News Agency, delivered a speech.

He said Chinese President Xi Jinping's speech at a recently-concluded symposium on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) showed China's determination and confidence in carrying forward high-standard opening-up.

Xi's speech also demonstrated the responsibility that China shoulders in promoting the common values of humanity and building a community with a shared future for humanity through the BRI, He added.

As an important force in jointly building the BRI, the network should play a bigger role in converging wisdom and strength to promote the high-quality development of the BRI, tell its stories and deepen people-to-people exchanges, He said.

Thirteen representatives of Chinese and foreign think tanks attending the meeting shared their study results and praised the opportunities brought by the BRI. They expressed their willingness to strengthen cooperation and exchanges, produce more valuable and pragmatic study results and provide intellectual support to the BRI's development.

The meeting was presided over by Fu Hua, editor-in-chief of Xinhua.

The BRSN, co-initiated by Xinhua and 15 other think tanks, was inaugurated in April, 2019.