With a rigorous success in trade and business for decades, China has initiated new mega project named âOne Belt One Roadâ (OBOR) in mid-May 2017 in Beijing. The trillion dollars project aims to connect Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa via business and infrastructure. During the two-day forum held in Beijing, Xi Jinping has been succeeding to gather 65 countryâs supreme leaders and numbers of delegates from all over the world. In the article, we are going to discuss various aspects of The Chinese new project One Belt One Road
It is âOne Belt One roadâ which has two dimensions of the model. The Economic Silk Road connecting western China to Europe via the Middle East and Russia, another one is 21st Century Maritime Silk Road connecting China to Gulf region via the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean. The âOne Belt One Roadâ is the modern version of ancient Silk Road connecting China with Roman Empire. The road was famous for silk export. Thatâs why it has been known as Silk Road. It is said that Ferdinand von Richthofen â a well-known German geographer named it.
Recently, the idea was first raised by Xu Shanda, a former deputy director of the State Administration of Taxation, who proposed in 2009. Then Xi Jinping initiated the project formally during the visit to Indonesia in 2013.
read more Chinese Communism: Mao Tse-Tung to Xi Jinping
One Belt One Road: the game for new China-oriented globalization
Since World War II ended, the world has been regulated with the neoliberal order. The United States has cherished its foreign policy with promoting democracy to defeat communism. Along with its political agenda, it has gained its trade and business interest in the name of âopen marketâ or liberal flow of capital. The Bretton Woods Institutions have promoted the US policy over time. There are lots of critics that those institutions didnât reduce poverty rather it made countries poorer than ever. Most of the developing countries have been bounded with debt-chains. On this circumstance, Chinaâs proposed Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank (AIIB) have challenged US-backed World Bank and IMF. It is also a sister concern of âOne Belt One Roadâ project which has already broke US western allies. UK and Australia have already joined the bank despite US allegation. Moreover, Xi Jinping could be prudent with the lesson of economic depression in 1930 and 2008-2009. The economic experience tends him to grab the current economic deficit of this region and the âOne Belt One Roadâ could be the pre-cautious steps to combat overflow of production in the local market. Thatâs why the âOne Belt One Roadâ is the crying need for Chinaâs economy. On the other hand, Asia needs more capital for its upcoming infrastructural development. According to a report by Asian Development Bank (ADB), the region needs 3 trillion USD and 290 billion USD for its economic efficiency. So, China has no longer wait to take the chance.
The Geopolitics over One Belt One Road project
There are multi-dimensional geopolitical games under âOne Belt One Roadâ initiative. Jin Liqun, President of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) said âThis is more a strategic, geopolitical issue. It boils down to one single objective- peace and prosperity for peopleâ. Skeptics say that the project would be âOne Belt One Road One Hegemoneâ and some others say that it would be like post-World War II Martial Plane which the US initiated to support Eastern European counties to include its sphere of influence. Tough the project is focused on infrastructural engagement visibly; the geopolitical games are also remaining inherently. The first geopolitical game is including Arabian countries despite China has good relations with Iran. The foreign minister of Saudi Arabia has stated his optimistic opinion to the project. The UAE, Kuwait and Gulf countries are also similar to their opinion. But, the question remains that how can Xi Jinping include both Iran and Saudi Arabia when they are snakes and nails. And Trumpâs recent tour to Suadi Arabia and his anti-Iranian speeches facilitate Iran to the greater enclosure to China indeed. The second geopolitical game is India which didnât join the Beijing meeting. India claims that âOne Belt One roadâ is unacceptable as it is designed across Kashmir. India didnât join saying that it couldnât recognize any plan hampering âState Sovereigntyâ. There is another aspect of Indiaâs disinterest. India suspects that Chinaâs plan is to âOne Belt One Roadâ are actually reducing Chinaâs dependency on the Indian Ocean.
Why India is skipped from the project
India is absent from Chinaâs One Belt One Road (OBOR) over sovereignty issues over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Gopal Baglay, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, âRegarding the so-called âChina-Pakistan Economic Corridorâ, which is being projected as the flagship project of the OBOR, the international community is well aware of Indiaâs position. No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns about sovereignty and territorial integrity.â He further added, âConnectivity projects must be pursued in a manner that respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity.â On the other hand, Indiaâs historical counterpart Pakistan is closed to China. China already invested in Pakistan to connect Gwadar Port. Pakistanâs Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Ahsan Iqbal says the proposed China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will turn bilateral âfriendship into a strategic economic partnership.â Finally, time will determine Indiaâs position. Does India take it a new opportunity escaping historical legacy or it will remain detached from the project?
The myths regarding One Belt One Road
Some of the readers may think that itâs just an economic project. But the real scenario is that it the project is including the exchange of culture, education, technology and crimes also! Another myth is that itâs a new project. But itâs really new version of ancient Silk Road. Some others think that it will be no more than a supranational authority like EU. But analyzing the scenario we can say that it wonât be like that. The geography, history and political culture of EU and the One Belt One Road are different. There is no chance of ânational dignityâ or ânational superiorityâ for any particular nation.
How Trumpâs activities help Xi Jinping!!
Donald Trumpâs conservative and isolate activities help Xi Jinpingâs ambitious project One Belt One Road. After the victory, Trump appeared to be the separate United States from joint work. He has separated from Trans-Pacific Partnership. Meanwhile, China boosted its trade and business through Asia and Africa. It has exaggerated its grants and loans to developing countries. For example, Xi Jinping’s visit to Bangladesh, he concluded more than 25 bilateral treaties and granted 23 billion USD. China has now signed memoranda with more than 40 countries, cooperation agreements with more than 40 countries in the belt and road region and industrial capacity cooperation agreements with more than 30 countries. On Trumpâs first visit to the Middle East, his accusation to Iran facilitate Xi Jinping to convince Iran more than ever because Iran is important for One Belt One Road project. as the worldâs last major communist-ruled nation, China needs friends and political allies to offset its post-cold-war ideological isolation following the collapse of the Soviet Union and Soviet client states in Central and Eastern Europe in the early 1990s. Beijing also wants to restore its leadership status in the developing world by reviving the non-aligned movement. Besides, China aims to maximize its foreign allies where Trumpâs activities are acting as a catalyst!
read more Japanâs Upcoming General Election: All You Need To Know
Critical Analysis: Challenges and Questions
No doubt the project is the demand of time for a world more specifically for Asia. There is more manpower in the region but lack of regional connectivity. Chinaâs project will fill up the gap gradually. But the challenge waiting is instability and security. The route drawn for One Belt One Road project is highly vulnerable. As 12000 armed forces are protecting Chinaâs Gwadar Port via Pakistan. The Kashmir and Kazakh corridor is not stable yet. The South China Sea is also being the apple of discord for many countries day by day. So, it will be the worst situation if instability spoils all the fruits.
The second critics to China are that it has a record of low-quality production in abroad. It short durable has troublesome and some countries decided not to import Chinese machinery. Thus, China has to ensure a quality product to have the reliability of countries.
The last challenge is the Middle East. Will China actually arrange all Gulf countries to sit at a table?? Already the region has become tensed on Qatar. Iran and Saudi relations are a big fact to gain regional consensus. So, to have the project implemented China has to move up consciously.
Sharif Mustajib
Student, International Relations
The University of Chittagong.
Pakistan is a highly water restraint country. country has no potable water at Gilgit. greater Baluchistan. Karachi. and rest of the country has water scarce . ground water level is going down so fast, no one knows how it will come to surface when we have acute shortage of power. in cities power shortage is 10 hours on average. and rural areas 18 hours a day. this has been going on for too long now. circular debt (500billion rupees) of private power producers are outstanading. govt has no money to pay of the debt. it releases few b illion every now and than IPP have demands soverign warranaty from Govt to get thier outstanding and have threated to go to world court. as there is not enojugh wataer for domestic. commercial and industrial use. no potable water it is all contaminated with seweage water. creating serious health hazard. climate change and extreme heat take lives of 1000 poor people only in one city of Karachi. what will happen in days ahaead n one knows. life is not secured. car snatching is like sweets snatching by hungry men. no one is safe not even governors of state. not even kids of Prime Minister not even wives of president. not even very high senior police officers. not even generals. AK 47 the largest quantity is found here. people are least afraid of law . people know how to break jail (two days ago Karachi Jail was broken and safe passage was made for prisoners to get escaped. President and Prime minister go for 10 day with entire family to saudi arabia to wash their dirty sins. as if God has no other business except to wash sins of pakistani politicians. zardari and son bilawal use the same model ayyan ali for their night pleasure. they have billions. pa k politicians have highest investment in Dubai and London. finance Minister has highest numb er of property in Dubai, we have no clean water. power. atta , (flour) no jobs, no security and we want to resolve world issues. e are rascals of the world
our pious and fraud prime minister and family after plundering billions after self exile for 9 years as guest of saudi arabia free roti and free shelter. make billions in fake industries and bought london Mayfair flats. now they are going to saudi for 10 days to pray to God to forgive their sins . so also retail cloth merchant President with family is in saudi to pray to forgive him for all frauds he committed while in power.we do fast in Ramdan nevertheless wi lie all 24 hours a day. we murder people, we keep destroying state assets. we go on hunger strike. we kill innocent students as they raise their voice against injustice unless u know someone in power corridor u r jobless. no one to hear all your complaints. u r treated as gaarbage. onlyif u have rolex audi and armani suits u are not treated as humans. u are treated as beggars.
Pakistan is the most corrupt country in the world. china will not get a penny out of its wise investment and one sided agreement. no project will come on line. sahiwal coal project the moment prime minister left after opening ceremony broke down 600 mg plant into garbage. all second hand coal plant machinery used. and loans and mark up will be paid by poor of Pakistan. these two brothers beat the world record in corruption. they will go naked from these world as we all. they have no common sense they came nude and will go nude. what dollars will do to them in graveyard i s a question. may Allah teach them a lesson and put them in a fire of hell
It is a fact that the largest part of the world’s news provision is owned by right wing moguls. Their aim is to further the cause of capitalism and retain the planet’s differentials between rich and those in need. Left Insider offers left wing articles from reputable news sites such as Left Futures, Red Pepper, Novara, The Canary, Buzz Feed, Left Foot Forward etc. Everyone has the birthright to maximise our own qualities and we all have the obligation to assist others maximise theirs.