互联互通自古以来就是人类社会的不懈追求。“要想富，先修路”这句话对很多中国人来说耳熟能详，精辟概括了中国人长期以来对此重要性的深刻认识。历史上，陆海两条丝绸之路将亚欧大陆紧密联系在一起。在这两条通道上，运送瓷器、茶叶、香料等商品的驼队和船队络绎不绝，高僧玄奘、航海家郑和以及旅行家马可·波罗的名字熠熠生辉。正是借助这两条道路，亚欧之间互通有无，互学互鉴，促进彼此的文明与进步。

Connectivity has been the unremitting pursuit of human society since ancient times. ‘Better Roads lead to Better Life’, a well-known idiom in China explains this concept incisively. The Silk Road and Maritime Silk Road closely connected Asia and Europe long time ago, on which many travelers, navigators and explorers, as well as camel teams and fleets with different kinds of commodities busied to and fro. Thanks to these two roads, Asia and Europe learned from each other and promoted their respective prosperity through exchanges.

当今国家间相互依存空前，更凸现加强互联互通的重要与必要。2013年以来，中国国家主席习近平先后提出建设“丝绸之路经济带”和“21世纪海上丝绸之路”的战略构想，旨在通过互联互通拉近各国距离，共同创造并享受和谐安宁的生活。“一带一路”贯穿亚欧大陆，东连亚太，西达欧洲，是和平发展之路、合作共赢之路和开放包容之路。这既是对历史上古丝绸之路的传承和提升，又顺应了时代要求和各国加快发展的愿望，将中国经济与沿线各国利益紧密结合，是一个包容的互利共赢平台。

Today, unprecedented interdependence among countries further highlights the importance of connectivity. Since 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping has put forward the strategic Initiative ‘Silk Road Economic Belt’ and ‘21st Century Maritime Silk Road’, aimed at bringing relevant countries closer, so as to create and enjoy harmonious and peaceful lives together. This Initiative links Asian-Pacific Region and Europe, sponsors for peaceful development, win-win cooperation, openness and inclusiveness. It inherits spirit of ancient Silk Road, conforms to trend of globalization and desire of common development, and provides an inclusive platform connecting China’s economy and interests of countries along the belt and the road.

我们欣喜地看到，互联互通已日益成为欧亚双方的共识。2013年，欧盟互联互通项目强化了综合性立体互联互通网络。2014年3月，习近平主席访欧期间，中欧都认为双方加强交通运输关系潜力巨大，决定共同挖掘中国丝绸之路经济带倡议与欧盟政策的契合点，探讨在丝绸之路经济带沿线开展合作的共同倡议。在亚太地区，不久前的北京APEC会议也通过了《亚太经合组织互联互通蓝图》，设立2025年亚太互联互通的远景目标。

It is delighted to note that momentum between Asia and Europe for connectivity has been even stronger. In 2013, a three-dimensional network of interconnection and communication has been strengthened through Connecting Europe Facility program. During President Xi Jingping’s historical visit to the EU in 2014, both sides confirmed the great potential to improve their transport relation, and decided to develop synergies between the EU policies and China’s ‘Silk Road Economic Belt’ Initiative to jointly explore common initiatives. Recently, the APEC Connectivity Blueprint has been endorsed in Beijing, which set a vision of achieving a seamless and comprehensively connectivity in 2025.