BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping on Friday congratulated via a video on the opening of a forum in Kazakhstan to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative.

In the video, Xi also extended sincere gratitude to Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and sincere regards to all the guests at the forum.

After the initiative was put forward, it has gained extensive attention from the international community and active response from related countries, Xi said.

The countries participating in the initiative have continued to enhance policy coordination, accelerated the implementation of major economic and trade projects, endeavored to form an infrastructure network, steadily promoted cooperation in industry and finance, and strengthened people-to-people exchanges, which have brought tangible benefits to people of these countries, he added.

Kazakhstan is a firm supporter of and active participant in the Belt and Road Initiative, Xi said.

In the past five years, with joint efforts of China and Kazakhstan, the two countries have obtained substantial fruits in the cooperation on the initiative, the Chinese president said.

Sticking to the principle of wide consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, China is willing to work with Kazakhstan and other related countries to realize common development and prosperity with openness and inclusiveness, and build the Belt and Road into a road for peace, prosperity, openness, innovation and civilization, so as to make greater contribution to benefiting people of all related countries and promoting the building of a community of shared future for mankind, Xi said.

He wished the forum a complete success at the end.