The Annual Meeting of the New Champions of the World Economic Forum, also known as the Summer Davos Forum, begins on July 1 in Dalian, Liaoning province. [Photo/Yili Group]

“The Belt and Road Initiative and the strategy of green development complement each other,” according to Zhang Jianqiu, executive president of Yili Group, who shared his thoughts in Dalian, Liaoning province on July 1.

Zhang made the remarks at a sub-forum on promoting the green development of the Belt and Road Initiative held during the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions.

He noted that the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China in 2013 was meant to promote green development and is expected to mobilize tens of trillions of dollars for much-needed infrastructure development in emerging market economies and bring more opportunities to countries along the Belt and Road.

During the sub-forum, Zhang also shared Yili’s experiences in pursuing growth and pushing forward with the Belt and Road Initiative.

At the World Economic Forum in 2007, Yili Group President Pan Gang proposed the idea of "green leadership". Since then, the group has been committed to establishing a global green industrial chain.

As a world-leading dairy company, Yili has continued to call upon partners in its global industrial chain to focus more on social responsibility while expanding their business.

Zhao Yingmin, deputy director of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Sun Chanthol, director of the national public projects and transportation authority in Cambodia, and other representatives from around the world also attended the sub-forum to discuss the opportunities and challenges brought about by the Belt and Road Initiative.

Zhang Jianqiu ( far left) meets with Klaus Schwab, founder and executive president of the World Economic Forum, during the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions on July 1. [Photo/Yili Group]

Zhang Jianqiu at the forum in Dalian, Liaoning province on July 1 [Photo/Yili Group]