London (People's Daily) - The 4th Belt and Road Initiative International Interdisciplinary Cooperation Conference was held at Britain's Lancaster University from Thursday to Friday.

With a theme of "New Trends in Belt and Road Initiative Research," the event brought together participants from multiple universities and institutions to discuss the new opportunities and challenges stemming from cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative framework.

Participants pose for a group photo at the conference (Photo provided by the organizer)

The conference was hosted by the Belt and Road Research Institute of Lancaster University and co-organized by the College of State Governance of Southwest University. Officials from the UK Foreign Office and the United Nations were also present. 

At the opening ceremony, Tang Rui, consul general of the People's Republic of China in Manchester, said that the Belt and Road Initiative put forward in 2013 has been transformed into reality in the context of globalization. The synergies created by the co-development of multiple projects have delivered tangible benefits, especially in African and Latin American developing countries.

Andy Schofield, vice-chancellor of Lancaster University, emphasized in his speech that Lancaster University serves as a bridge between countries as it helps foster a friendly relationship between China and the UK and also paves the way for exchanges and cooperation in many countries around the world. 

The Interdisciplinary Conference on the Belt and Road Initiative at Lancaster University aimed to serve as a platform for discussions on the latest BRI developments and emerging research trends. Building on the success of the previous three editions, the Lancaster University Belt and Road Initiative Research Consortium has established global research partnerships with Chinese universities to study China and the Belt and Road Initiative.