generalspeaking

China's Modern Silk Road

"Xi's aggressive diplomacy largely comes from his own aspirations, beliefs and strategic requirements."
"[President Trumps'] negative attitude toward liberal world trade and climate change [emboldened Mr. Xi to assume a more aggressive role on the global stage]."
"[However, China has greater] financial and human resources [now available to it, to meet its larger ambitions]."
Shi Yin-hong, professor of international relations, Renmin University

"[China's mobilization of local Chinese-language news media, its recruitment of Chinese students toward its policies and donations by Chinese businessmen in Australia represent] a threat to our sovereignty, the integrity of our national institutions and the exercise of our citizens' rights."
Duncan Lewis, intelligence chief, Australia

A woman takes pictures in front of a flower display ahead of the Belt and Road Forum in central Beijing, China, May 10, 2017. Thomas Peter—Reuters

Chinese President Xi Jinping's focus on his "One Belt, One Road" initiative to enlarge China's economy through the expansion of global trade through the traditions of the legendary Silk Road sees its massive investments in energy, agriculture, trade-connecting highways and access to corporate interests with an emphasis on shared research, all to benefit the Asian giant's steadily ongoing march toward full domination of the world marketplace and to accelerate its status as a superpower.

The expansion of global trade and supporting China's internal economy all geared toward that end. Over $100 billion was pledged in the spring for the development of roads, rails and seaports in over 65 countries throughout Asia, Africa and Europe. What will benefit the receiving countries will most certainly spur China's prominence and growth. Chinese Railway freight trains already operate along the caravan routes dating back a thousand years from China to Russia and Europe, the logistics network globalizing China's 1.4-billion population.

Welcome on board. (Reuters/Damir Sagolj)   World leaders gathered in Beijing over the past two days to hear China’s plan for global trade: the One Belt One Road initiative. Nearly 70 countries and international organizations have signed up for the mega infrastructure project

In the span of a mere three decades, 700 million Chinese have been elevated out of indigence, leading the Communist Party toward an ambition to "take center stage in the world" by increasing that emerging middle class and further enriching it. President Xi has dangled opportunities for government investments in business such as wineries, Internet shopping and espresso cafes; in other words linking into the most consumer-oriented industries geared to the good life.

American journalists invited to China in the summer were exposed to this softer-edged economic direction where they were given coffee whose beans came from Ethiopia, and witnessed a robotic arm play a game of Chinese checkers, while an Israeli technical export led a training session for Chinese counterparts. The dirty, ubiquitous Beijing smokestacks that embarrassed the nation during the 2008 Olympics are scheduled for efforts toward more environmentally sustainable energy sources.

When the Winter Games arrive in 2022 to Beijing, a postindustrial athletes village will be on display as China moves beyond the traditional Soviet-style economy built on steel and concrete, focusing instead on high tech, intellectual property (still purloined and built upon technology advances pioneered elsewhere) and scientific discovery (which China 'partners' with foreign sources to acquire through contractual access, part of investment opportunities).

All this forward-looking and deep thinking leading China toward the success on the world market that is already mostly in its hands is accompanied by a deep, dark concern. Just as its neighbours remain nonplussed and fearful about Chinese designs on contested regional waterways, China echoes those emotions but in an altogether different sphere; its less-than-collegial neighbour, North Korea's penchant for roiling worldwide concern over its petulant displays of technical advances in nuclear and ballistic missile threats.

"China will continue to play its part as a major and responsible country."
"Our military must regard combat capability as the criterion to meet in all its work, and focus on how to win when it is called on."
Chinese President Xi Jinping

Labels: Aggression, China, Investment, Trade

posted by Pieface @ Sunday, November 05, 2017