Asthehighly-anticipatedBeltandRoadForumforInternationalCooperationinBeijingapproaches,manyEurope-basedChinaobserversarethinkingofusingtheMay14-15forumtodeependialogueandexchanges,andinstitutionalizetheBeltandRoadInitiative(theSilkRoadEconomicBeltand21stCenturyMaritimeSilkRoad)proposedbyPresidentXiJinpingmorethanthreeyearsago.
Outofthe28stateleaderswhohaveconfirmedtheirparticipationintheforum,whichisaimedatimprovingconnectivityamongAsia,EuropeandAfrica,morethan10willbefromEurope.Duetodomesticelections,theleadersoftheUnitedKingdom,FranceandGermanywillnotbeabletoattendtheforumbuttheywillsendhigh-levelofficialstojointhediscussions.
RecenttalkswithChinaexpertsinEuropeshowtheyunderstandthesignificanceoftheforum.SomeEuropeanshaveevencompareditwiththeannualG20summit,aplatformsetupin2008tomainlyfacilitateglobalmacroeconomicpolicycoordinationamongtheworld's20largesteconomies.