International cooperation between countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the post-pandemic era became a hot issue during the 2020 China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT).

The third High-level Forum on Belt and Road Development, held Sept 9 in Xiamen, invited international governors from countries involved in the BRI, scholars and government officers to talk on measures for stabilizing foreign investment under the influence of the COVID-19 epidemic.

As an important port and the main city along the Maritime Silk Road, Xiamen has been an active participant in constructing the BRI to promote economic and trade exchanges with countries and regions taking part in the initiative.

Despite the decline in global economic activity and trade caused by the epidemic, import and export volumes in Xiamen increased by 5.4 percent in the first seven months of 2020.

In the first half of this year, China's investment in countries and regions along the BRI grew rapidly, with non-financial investment reaching $8.12 billion, a year-on-year increase of 19.4 percent, according to Cui Mingmo, president of China Association for International Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce.

"The growth comes from global cooperation between China and other countries, which also plays an active role in the recovery of economy and trade in BRI countries and regions," Cui said.

During the forum, ambassadors from Malaysia, Tanzania, Serbia, Bahrain, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, as well as experts and scholars from research institutions and universities, delivered keynote speeches. They said they believed that promoting cooperation and exchanges in an open and inclusive environment will help to achieve long-term development.