One Belt, One road; an Initiative for the overall prosperity of the region (original) (raw)

The Role of China in Economic Stabilization and Reconstruction of Afghanistan

China, most populous and rapidly growing industrial country of the world, has shown its strong political, economical and security-based interests in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is rich in terms of natural reserves. China is trying to gain access to these natural resources like Aynak copper and oil reserves, providing economic aid and thus improving political relations. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is playing a part in addressing security problems of Afghanistan and China is observer while Afghanistan is a member of SAARC. On the other hand, Afghan government is appreciating and taking this greater role in a positive sense because it is bringing modesty in their relations from bilateral partnership to strategic partnership.

The Role of the Central Asian Region in China’s New Silk Road Economic Belt Project

Economic Corridors in Asia: Paradigm of Integration? A Reflection for Latin America, 2020

In forty years of reform and implementation of open economy policies, great changes have taken place in China. With the country's high engagement with the world, it became obvious that China did not isolate itself from the global developments. The rapid growth of China's economy and the country's growing ties with the rest of the world necessitates the development of new concepts and approaches in the Chinese diplomacy. China's emerging role in the international arena triggers a change in current international political environment and causes further rebalancing of multipolar system. Therefore, strengthening multilateral cooperation with the other regional powers and international organizations provides suitable atmosphere for development. The study explores the key factors of interest for China in Central Asian states from the point of view of implementing its outside economic strategies.

Chapter 5 China’s Belt and Road Initiative through the lens of Central Asia

Taylor & Francis eBooks, 2019

Introduction: a new Silk Road for Central Asia The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), aimed at connecting China, Europe and countries located along routes between China and Europe, was suggested by Xi Jinping in September 2013. This Chinese initiative envisages the completion of more than 100 small-and large-scale infrastructure projects that would improve China's connectivity with Western Europe via Central Asia and Russia, including roads, railroads, pipelines, industrial parks, and special economic zones. The five Central Asian states-Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan-are an important geographical focus of the project. BRI encompasses nearly half the world's population, vast resources and 40 percent of global GDP (gross domestic product). As of 2017, 68 countries-including the Central Asian states-had expressed an interest in joining BRI. The plan is that the infrastructure will be accompanied by large-scale investment from Chinese companies and institutions such as the Silk Road Foundation with funds of US$40 billion, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) with funds of US$100 billion. In addition, Beijing plans to provide development aid to the countries that participate in BRI. There has been a steady increase in the influence of China in Central Asia since the early 1990s (Indeo 2017, p. 37). The total trade turnover between China and Central Asia grew 60-fold between 1991 and 2016, from US$500,000 million to 30 billion, excluding significant informal trade by small-scale entrepreneurs. Currently, 23,000 students from Central Asia study in China and more than 700,000 people travelled between Central Asia and China in 2015 (Forbes 2017a). Because of BRI, China is likely to remain the biggest investor in the region in the future, far exceeding the potential economic footprint of Russia and the West (Laruelle 2018, p. xii). China has also become one of the biggest importers of Central Asian energy resources. After BRI was launched, Beijing rapidly scaled up its public diplomacy and strengthened its soft power presence, especially in education and culture, thus increasingly becoming a norm-setter in Central Asia (Dave 2018, p. 99).

China’s Belt and Road Initiative through the lens of Central Asia

Regional Connection under the Belt and Road Initiative, 2018

Introduction: a new Silk Road for Central Asia The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), aimed at connecting China, Europe and countries located along routes between China and Europe, was suggested by Xi Jinping in September 2013. This Chinese initiative envisages the completion of more than 100 small-and large-scale infrastructure projects that would improve China's connectivity with Western Europe via Central Asia and Russia, including roads, railroads, pipelines, industrial parks, and special economic zones. The five Central Asian states-Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan-are an important geographical focus of the project. BRI encompasses nearly half the world's population, vast resources and 40 percent of global GDP (gross domestic product). As of 2017, 68 countries-including the Central Asian states-had expressed an interest in joining BRI. The plan is that the infrastructure will be accompanied by large-scale investment from Chinese companies and institutions such as the Silk Road Foundation with funds of US$40 billion, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) with funds of US$100 billion. In addition, Beijing plans to provide development aid to the countries that participate in BRI. There has been a steady increase in the influence of China in Central Asia since the early 1990s (Indeo 2017, p. 37). The total trade turnover between China and Central Asia grew 60-fold between 1991 and 2016, from US$500,000 million to 30 billion, excluding significant informal trade by small-scale entrepreneurs. Currently, 23,000 students from Central Asia study in China and more than 700,000 people travelled between Central Asia and China in 2015 (Forbes 2017a). Because of BRI, China is likely to remain the biggest investor in the region in the future, far exceeding the potential economic footprint of Russia and the West (Laruelle 2018, p. xii). China has also become one of the biggest importers of Central Asian energy resources. After BRI was launched, Beijing rapidly scaled up its public diplomacy and strengthened its soft power presence, especially in education and culture, thus increasingly becoming a norm-setter in Central Asia (Dave 2018, p. 99).

Belt and Road Initiative of China: A New Hope in the Region

„One belt, one road‟ is a development strategy initiated and planned by the Chinese government in 2013 to enhance regional connectivity and to integrate the Silk Road Spirit – "peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit" of the countries along the Belt and Road. It refers to the New Silk Road Economic Belt, which will link China with Europe through Central and Western Asia, and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which will connect China with Southeast Asian countries, Africa and Europe. The initiative also aims to promote flow of economic factors, efficient allocation of resources and regional integration of markets by enhancing connectivity within Asian, European and African continents along with consideration of their adjacent sea areas. China hope annual trade with the countries involved in the "One Belt, One Road" initiative would surpass $2.5 trillion in a decade. The study explores how China wants to further integrate itself into the world economy and strengthen its influence in these regions through establishing "One belt, one road" strategy. It also examines the viability and implications of regional integration for Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Economic Corridor and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which regarded as "closely related to the Belt and Road Initiative". Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) can play a vital role within the framework of this initiative. Considering the existing Chinese Government Policies to support “One Belt One Road”, the paper also try to analyze the connectivity and regional integration issue under the flagship of New Silk Roads.

Silk Road economic belt: China’s Marshall plan, pivot to Eurasia or China’s way of foreign policy

People's Republic of China is back to the geopolitical map of the world. As China becomes stronger economically, Chinese interests become increasingly global and diverse, Chinese foreign policy – more assertive. Obama's 'pivot to Asia' gives a new impetus to China's westward diplomacy. The concept of a " Silk Road Economic Belt " put forward by President Xi Jinping in 2013 challenges the regional but also global geopolitical landscape. 'Labelling' and evaluating, however, the initiative through the prism of the Western perception of world politics will certainly distort the analysis and lead to wrong political decisions.