Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks at the opening ceremony for the second Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, China April 26, 2019. REUTERS/Florence Lo

BEIJING (Reuters) - China’s President Xi Jinping said on Friday the aim of his Belt and Road initiative is to advance win-win cooperation among countries and build a new platform for international trade, while also creating development opportunities for China.

The next step in recreating the old Silk Road was to push the initiative toward high-quality development, with a focus on green infrastructure and finance, Xi said in a keynote speech at a summit on the Belt and Road initiative.

The Belt and Road initiative championed by Xi has become mired in controversy, with some partner nations bemoaning the high cost of projects. China has repeatedly said it is not seeking to trap anyone with debt and only has good intentions.

Western governments have tended to view it as a means to spread Chinese influence abroad, saddling poor countries with unsustainable debt.