Huang Maoxing, a deputy to the 13th National People's Congress, calls for more efforts in talents cultivation to bolster the Belt and Road Initiative. [Photo/china.org.cn]

Huang Maoxing, a deputy to the 13th National People's Congress, calls for more efforts in talents cultivation to bolster the Belt and Road Initiative.

First proposed in 2013, the Initiative is a national key project that aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient trade routes.

The project's construction entails a large number of talents with professional skills, language expertise as well as international vision, says Huang, deputy dean of the Fujian Normal University's School of Economics, during the ongoing annual legislative session in Beijing.

He emphasizes the role of communication in furthering ties between China and the countries involved in the Initiative, noting that China must step up its efforts in talents cultivation and advance cooperation with the countries in higher education.

China should not only commit to nurturing the talents who thoroughly understand international rules but also foreign ones who're familiar with China's rules, he says.

Presently, China has signed agreements with 24 relevant countries for the mutual recognition of diplomas and degrees, but 40 other countries under the Initiative are still not included.