A senior official from Development Research Center of the State Council (DRC), a leading policy research and consulting institution of China, calls for the establishment of a think tank network specifically for the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21 Century Maritime Silk Road during a roundtable meeting with the UK Institute of Development Studies (IDS) on Wednesday.

Cheng Guoqiang, director general of department for international cooperation of DRC, said the establishment of a think tank network is important to boost the Belt and Road Initiative as it can work as a platform for related countries to address on their concerns, interests as well as doubts.

Think tank has its unique advantage on providing professional intelligence and has a huge social influence. An inclusive think tank network is recommended to seek common ground while shelving differences for win-win cooperation and to build trust with each other, Cheng said.

Speak highly of the achievements made by China to address poverty and inequality over the last few decades, Melissa Leach, director of the UK-based IDS said the world needs the Belt and Road Initiative to boost global partnerships and multi-way cooperation and she is willing to work closely with her Chinese colleagues in the next few years.

Wednesday also witnessed the launch of the Center for Rising Powers and Global Development (CRPD) of IDS.

Gu Jing, director of the newly founded CRPD and the only Chinese employee of IDS told China Daily that the center is an important step towards the creation of new understandings of development in the multi-polar world that is emerging.