The Chinese Character of 2025 Chosen as Part of the “Belt and Road” Initiative

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — In Chongqing’s Yongchuan District, the Chinese character of 2025 has been announced as part of the “Belt and Road” initiative. The chosen character is “yǒng”, meaning “eternal,” Xinhua News Agency reports.

The event selecting the character of the year was organized by the Chinese Association of Public Relations (CAPR) in collaboration with the Yongchuan District administration. Among the nine finalists were also the characters “kāi” (“openness”), “lián” (“interaction”), “wén” (“stability”), and others.

According to CAPR Chairman Gu Weiming, Chinese characters serve as an important tool for intercultural dialogue and international communication. He emphasized that initiatives like this promote Chinese culture and strengthen humanitarian ties among countries participating in the “Belt and Road” project.

Professor Huang Tianshu of Tsinghua University highlighted that the character “yǒng”, whose shape resembles ripples on water, symbolizes continuity, inheritance, and the enduring nature of Chinese civilization. “This symbol reflects hope for long-term cooperation and lasting friendship among nations,” he noted.

Young people from various countries, including China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, and Laos, actively participated in the event, sharing their thoughts on the significance of the “yǒng” symbol in the context of international relations and cultural exchange.

The tradition of selecting a character of the year was initiated in 2016. Over the years, previous characters have included “hé” (“peace”), “xīn” (“innovation”), “gòng” (“together”), and others, reflecting the core values of the “Belt and Road” initiative.