BEIJING, May 17 (Xinhua) -- The just-concluded Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing has attracted worldwide attention as the Belt and Road Initiative itself takes the world's concern -- inter-connectivity and shared prosperity -- as one of its major targets.

The following are some quotes from high-profile world officials on the significance of the initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013 with an aim to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient Silk Road routes.

IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde:

-- The Belt and Road Initiative aims to connect economies, communities, and people. It holds great potential to bring benefits in terms of high-quality infrastructure, inclusiveness, and economic cooperation.

The IMF can help in this effort by providing policy advice, financial support as appropriate, and hands-on training and capacity building -- so that economies can maximize the benefits of more investment, trade, and financial connectivity, while maintaining economic and financial stability.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak:

-- With the vision of shared prosperity and win-win situation, I believe Malaysia and other countries will realize the potential of the Belt and Road Initiative.

The initiative as one that can stimulate development among different sectors and industries via better infrastructure, in turn will facilitate world transportation and logistics, so all countries can access to larger markets.

Serbian Prime Minister and President-elect Aleksandar Vucic:

-- Serbia is China's staunch friend and reliable partner. Serbia has benefited enormously from participating in the Belt and Road forum. Key projects of the Belt and Road Initiative have yielded positive results.

Serbia expects to deepen cooperation with China in a host of areas, including the economy and trade, mining, infrastructure, finance, aviation and tourism.

Australian Trade Minister Steve Ciobo:

-- The China-proposed initiative is a way to unite global economies for trade in a new era. The initiative is about maximizing opportunities so as to promote growth and development on the Belt and Road routes.

Australia would only benefit by embracing the Belt and Road Initiative, as it would allow the Australian government to take advantage of new opportunities to help grow the local economy.

Alicia Barcena, executive secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC):

-- The Belt and Road Initiative represents a renewal and a profound commitment with the fundamental values of our global social and economic well-being: interconnection, deeper commercial and investment links, transparency and opening-up, and the need to ensure economic growth goes hand-in-hand with social progress.

This is a speech concerning a change of era, Chinese President Xi Jinping made a very innovative proposal, with a panoramic perspective bringing together the objectives of all the countries.