As the Belt and Road Initiative leaves 10 years behind, it continues to offer many opportunities for participating countries. The reconstruction of the historical Silk Road is very important not only for China, but also for its member states. The initiative has offered not only national but also regional and global opportunities over the past 10 years.
In this context, Belt and Road brings China Overseas Safety and Security Institute Director Dr. Zhanggui’s views to your attention.
1- Belt and Road Initiative leaves 10 years behind. How would you evaluate these 10 years in terms of the Initiative?
2023 marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. Over the past decade, the Belt and Road Initiative has not only delivered tangible dividends to all countries, but also built more consensus for the international community to uphold genuine multilateralism and promote democracy in international relations, thus making global governance more just and equitable.
First, in recent years, the Belt and Road Initiative has received support from more and more countries and international organizations, especially from developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, who want to learn from China’s development experience and have an urgent need and great enthusiasm for infrastructure construction. Second, the Chinese government has vigorously promoted and supported infrastructure construction under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and constantly promoted practical cooperation in various fields, which has shown the international community China’s sincerity and actions.
Third, at a time when economic globalization is facing setbacks and world economic recovery is facing challenges, unilateralism and disruption of the global industrial chain by a few individualized countries are becoming increasingly unworkable. The vast majority of developing countries in the world are focusing more on the issue of development and hope to strengthen solidarity and cooperation for their own development. Infrastructure development is an important way to enhance connectivity and promote global development.
2- With 150 countries and more than 30 international organizations, we can say that BRI is a transcontinental project. It brings to countries many opportunities not just economically but also present high life quality, prosperity likewise. How does this effect the participant countries’ perspective to China and of course the BRI?
In the past decade, China has signed more than 200 cooperation documents on Belt and Road cooperation with 151 countries and 32 international organizations, resulting in more than 3,000 cooperation projects with an investment scale of nearly US $1 trillion. The Belt and Road Initiative has not only brought benefits to the people of the countries along the routes, but also pushed the world toward a vision of common prosperity and a community with a shared future for mankind.
The Belt and Road Initiative has created a reliable circle of friends. Strengthening the global network of connectivity, China’s infrastructure projects around the world; we rebuilt bridges for economic, trade and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. It has helped solve the common problems facing mankind, such as green and low-carbon development, health cooperation and international poverty reduction. It has greatly enhanced the breadth, depth and level of China’s opening up, greatly stimulated two-way trade and investment. Seeing is believing. The implementation of concrete cooperation projects will enable participants to feel the effects and benefits of participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, increase mutual trust in the next decade of cooperation, continue to consolidate existing cooperation and expand new cooperation in other areas.
3- The world is dominated by a multipolar world order. What would you like to say about the role of the BRI in the multipolar world order?
The Belt and Road Initiative is gaining momentum, highlighting a new world order that promises to differ from US hegemony as a unipolar power. The Belt and Road Initiative is based on production and labour, will end the rules of the game for financial speculation, is an inclusive and sovereign respect plan, and opposes social exclusion and economic dependence. It is a program of cooperation and peace and is opposed to imposition. The Belt and Road Initiative aims to integrate the whole world into a multi-polar and diversified development plan based on the real economy. It will help promote the economic prosperity of countries along the Belt and Road and regional economic cooperation, strengthen exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations, and promote world peace and development. It is a great cause that benefits people of all countries in the world.
4- Although BRI is known as a massive economic project, it is just more than that. It also gives a framework for conflict resolution. Lastly, we saw it Iran-Saudi Arabia case. In this point, does the BRI embody the mission of being “bridge of peace” in conflict resolution?
Based on China’s international status and influence, especially China’s active support for the United Nations (UN) Peace and Development Agenda, the Belt and Road Initiative is not only an element of the international peace and development agenda, but also will be affected by the trend of the international peace and development agenda. First, the Belt and Road Initiative has a peaceful nature and needs. In terms of its core content, the Belt and Road is an initiative dominated by economic and development cooperation, rather than a cooperation initiative on peace and security issues. However, from the very beginning, the Belt and Road Initiative has inherent attributes of peace, including the need for a peaceful environment, the adherence to the principles of peaceful coexistence and peaceful cooperation, and China’s choice of a path of peaceful development. A peaceful environment is the primary requirement of the Belt and Road Initiative.
The Belt and Road Initiative is also a driving force for China to consciously safeguard peace and stability in countries and regions along the routes. In many official documents of the Belt and Road Initiative, the purposes and principles of the Charter of the UN and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence are set as the first principles, and “peaceful cooperation” is set as one of the basic principles of Belt and Road cooperation. The case of China actively mediating peace talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia to promote their resumption of diplomatic relations is a positive example, hoping to provide a more friendly environment for regional and national conflict resolution in the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative.
5- Finally, what would be your comments for the future of the BRI? What plans does China have for the BRI for the coming years?
With the promotion of connectivity with neighbouring countries, the manufacturing industry will continue to transfer and upgrade, and the industrial chain of neighbouring areas will be further restructured on the basis of jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative. In the broader region, China and other developing countries will further expand trade and investment cooperation through land and sea routes.
The levels of development are more diversified. The future-oriented Belt and Road Initiative will further promote “hard”, “soft” and “heart” connectivity, and integrate policy, infrastructure, trade, financial and people-to-people connectivity into concrete joint projects and development cooperation practices. “Small but beautiful” cooperation projects on people’s livelihood and culture will have greater room for development. “Connectivity” is a century proposition that requires all-dimensional, multi-level and multidimensional participation.
The Belt and Road Initiative is also a big test for Chinese localities, enterprises and social organizations. Looking ahead to the next decade, the Belt and Road Initiative will open new windows of opportunity for China and the world. The Belt and Road Initiative will not only make China a better place, but also make the world a better place.
Dr. Zhanggui Zhou
Dr. Zhanggui ZHOU is the Director of the Overseas Safety and Security Institute of Zhejiang University’s NTS-PD Center. He also works as a Consultant to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). His main areas of work are maritime and energy security.