1st International Belt and Road Initiative and Turkey Symposium: Turkey Carries the Potential to Become the Vanguard of the Digital Silk Road

SYMPOSIUM REPORTREPORT

1st International Belt and Road Initiative and Turkey Symposium: Turkey Carries the Potential to Become the Vanguard of the Digital Silk Road

THE 1ST INTERNATIONAL BELT AND ROAD Organizers

Initiative and Turkey Symposium was held on May Turkish-Chinese Business Development and

30-31, 2022 in cooperation with the Turkish-Chinese Friendship Association, Istinye University Center

Business Development and Friendship Association and for Belt and Road Studies (CBRS), China Econo-

the Istinye University Center for Belt and Road Studies mic Cooperation Center (CECC), Shanghai Uni-

(CBRS). The main theme of this symposium was the versity Center for Turkish Studies.

“Importance of the Digital Silk Road for Developing Supporters

Countries and Contribution of Turkey to the Digital

BRI”, which was discussed by distinguished business National Strategy Center (USMER), Belt and Road

people, academics, and diplomats from different count- Initiative Quarterly (BRIQ), Institute of Communicati-

on and Business Sciences, Journal of Theory, Journal of ries. Science and Utopia, Turkish Student Union in China. The opening session included Mustafa Varank (the

Minister of Industry and Technology of the Republic The world of the oppressed will humanize

“

of Turkey), Lin Songtian (President of the Chinese Pe- digitalization”

ople’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Count- In his opening speech, Adnan Akfırat, President of ries), Liu Shaobin (Ambassador of the People’s Repubthe Turkish-Chinese Business Development and Frienlic of China to Ankara), Prof. Dr. Erkan İbiş (Rector dship Association, said that “digitalization in the 20th of Istinye University), Lin Songtian (Chairman of century was developed and exploited by global capitathe China Association of Friendship with Foreign lism to eliminate national borders, but in the 21st cen-

Countries), Prof. Dr. Guo Changgang (Shanghai Uni- tury, the initiative in digitalization has passed to deve-

versity Center for Turkish Studies), and Assoc. Prof. loping countries”. Pointing out that the World of the

Efe Can Gürcan, Director of the CBRS. A total of 11 Oppressed in the Asian Century has made digitalization

sessions were held over two days, where many topics one of the tools to get rid of the hegemony of US imperi-

were discussed, ranging from agriculture, education, alism, Akfırat emphasized the involvement of the Peop-

transportation and logistics to finance, tourism, and le’s Republic of China for digitalization as a leading state

development. in this area. Akfırat observed that advanced capitalist

88 How to cite: Turkey carries the potential to become the vanguard of the Digital Silk Road. (2022). Belt & Road

Initiative (BRIQ). 3(3), 88-89.

SYMPOSIUM REPORTREPORT

countries have transformed digitalization into an enemy based on its young, dynamic, and qualified labor force as

of humanity that propagates individualism and intensi- well as its talented and bold entrepreneurs. Akfırat also

fies exploitation. According to him, the main purpose asserted that the BRI is driven by the principle of shared

of this symposium is to encourage Turkey to become a development and Turkey is one of the countries that be-

vanguard in the construction of the Digital Silk Road nefit most from this collective initiative.

The Ukrainian crisis and the BRI: to its grave”. In this environment, Turkey should develop

Challenges and opportunities its relations with Asia, Africa, and Latin America within

the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative in order to

BRIQ was the main organizer of “The Ukrainian resist the pressures of Western countries.

crisis and the BRI: Challenges and opportunities", Professor Ma Xiaolin, from Zhejiang University

a hybrid forum that discussed the implications of International Studies University, said in his speech that

NATO’s Eastward expansion and the challenges and over the past 8 years, the Belt and Road Initiative has

opportunities brought by the Ukraine operation to the expanded the foreign trade volume of participating

BRI. countries by 3 to 10 percent, while 7.6 million people

The co-organizers of this forum, held on May 21, have been lifted out of extreme poverty and 32 million

2022, included the Russian Centre of Science and people have been lifted out of poverty. He mentioned

Culture, Friends of Socialist China Platform, Turkish that the BRI greatly contributes to the construction of

Student Union in China, and Istanbul Kent University. infrastructures such as railways and highways. Prof.

Distinguished speakers from 4 continents and 10 Ma pointed out that after the Ukraine crisis, the West’s

different countries took part in the forum. Adnan Akfırat, unilateral sanctions has negatively affected the global

President of the Turkish-Chinese Business Development financial system. He went on to add that the United

and Friendship Association and Chairman of the BRIQ, States has been conducting a demonization campaign to

made the opening speech and moderated the forum break the influence of the Belt and Road Initiative, which

discussions. offers a better alternative to the whole world.

In his speech, Akfirat said that the unipolar world, led Other participants included Mushahid Hussain,

by the United States and institutionalized by hegemonic Pakistan Senator and Chairman of the Defense

tools such as the NATO and the EU, has collapsed, and Committee, Dr. Darya Platonova from Moscow

now the initiative has passed to developing countries. He University, Dr. Rajiv Ranjan from Shanghai University,

noted that a new international order is rapidly emerging, Dr. Governor Kaleji from Tehran University, Keith

which is more egalitarian, fairer, more people-centered, Bennett, Editor of the Friends of Socialist China

and environmentally friendly. Stating that 87 percent of Platform, and Dr. Ahmed Shahidov, President of

the world’s population do not agree with the USA and Azerbaijan Democracy and Human Rights Institute. The

the EU regarding the sanctions against Russia, Akfırat speakers concurred that the unipolar order has come to

concluded his speech by saying, “every step taken by an end and unilateral sanctions by Western countries

NATO on the way to expand Eastward brings itself closer have only served to intensify the global problems.