MACAO, May 30 (Xinhua) -- The 10th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum (IIICF) opened here on Thursday, attracting political, commercial and academic representatives around the world, including government officials from nearly 40 countries and regions.

The two-day event was hosted by the China International Contractors Association and the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, with the theme of "Promoting Quality and Sustainable Development of International Infrastructure."

More than 2,000 attendees from more than 750 enterprises, institutions and government organizations have gathered to discuss hot topics and latest development of international infrastructure at a number of thematic forums, parallel forums and penal sessions, as well as exhibitions, project presentation and matching sessions.

Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Wang Bingnan said during his opening speech that the Chinese government is proactively nurturing infrastructure cooperation among enterprises. China encourages all countries in the world to jointly build up partnership of global connectivity, and motivate quality development of infrastructure cooperation.

According to Wang, the accumulated value of cooperation agreements signed by Chinese contractors amounts to 2.3 trillion U.S. dollars, with turnover of 1.6 trillion U.S. dollars. The projects are implemented in over 200 countries and regions, involving various industries and services including transportation, energy and electricity, industry and civil engineering, petrochemical industry and telecommunication.

Zambia's Minister of Local Government Vincent Mwale said at the opening ceremony that the Chinese government provided great help to Zambian infrastructure development, including the Tazara Railway built in the 1970s, and a series of infrastructure development and investment projects which were initiated in 2011 in such domains as energy, public health, education, transportation, mining and agriculture.

Mwale emphasized that no country in the world can completely isolate itself from its neighbor or the outside world, and the connection among countries has to be supported by quality infrastructure, which makes partnership and cooperation between developing countries and China so important.

After the opening ceremony, the forum published Belt and Road Infrastructure Development Index 2019 and Annual Report on Development of the Belt and Road Construction 2019.