Through video conference, Yang Baojun, Chief Economist of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, stated that the BRI has yielded fruitful outcomes over the past decade. The influence and appeal of the concept of community with a shared future for humanity have become increasingly prominent. From the perspective of urban and rural development, adapting to the opportunities and challenges brought by the new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation, addressing global issues like climate change, and achieving sustainable development that is green, healthy, and safe have become universal consensus within the international community. The collective aspiration is to construct cleaner and more beautiful ecological living environments. It’s anticipated that this conference would serve as an opportunity for experts and scholars to delve deeply into the pressing issues at the forefront of architectural technology, identify more foci in research and technological innovations, and continue to enhance comprehensive and practical collaboration, jointly promote technological advancements within the industry, and create a better living environment for humanity, and contribute more to improve the overall well-being of people along the Silk Road.
On behalf of XAUAT, Zhu Xiaowei extended a cordial welcome to the conference's domestic and international guests. He noted that XAUAT shares a long-standing friendship with architectural universities along the Silk Road. With the emergence of the technological revolution and the unprecedented acceleration of the renewal of human knowledge, global issues such as climate change have become even more prominent. As an architectural university, XAUAT shares common challenges and missions in promoting technological cooperation, co-building a better home, and enhancing human well-being with member institutions of the “Alliance.” XAUAT is willing to work with architectural universities along the Silk Road and stick to the principles of “prioritizing development, benefiting the majority, and putting innovation as the driving force” while considering the different circumstances of countries along the Silk Road. Their focus will be on practices of urbanization along the Silk Road. They will collaborate comprehensively and realistically regarding talent, research, faculty, and programs. The goal is to deepen cooperation, share knowledge resources, promote the circulation of knowledge, drive theoretical innovation, and overcome developmental challenges. They aim to build the “Alliance” into a knowledge highland, information hub, and incubator for the talent of architectural technology along the Silk Road. This will enhance urban and rural development, people’s well-being, and prosperity along the Silk Road. Furthermore, it will contribute more to promoting exchange and integration and enrich the diversified development of global civilization.
Silk Road International Alliance of Architectural and Technological Universities (SRIAATU) was proposed by XAUAT, and core documents such as SRIAATU’s Charter, SRIAATU’s Five-year Action Plan, and SRIAATU Xi’an Consensus were also approved at the conference. The first batch of member institutions of the “Alliance” are 45 institutions, including 32 international higher institutions from 22 countries along the Silk Road and 13 domestic universities. According to SRIAATU’s Charter, the “Alliance” will adhere to the Silk Road spirit, emphasizing peace, cooperation, openness, inclusiveness, mutual learning, and mutual benefit. Based on the various conditions of courtiers along the Silk Road, the “Alliance” will follow the ideas of “prioritizing development, benefiting the majority, and putting innovation as the driving force,” focus on practices of urbanization and engage in intercollegiate exchanges that encompass talent development, research cooperation, cultural exchanges, policy research, and social services, in order to build a better home for humanity jointly.