Domestic Reasons for the Belt and Road Initiative

Domestic Reasons for the Belt and Road Initiative Zhao, L. (2021). The Belt and Road Initiative and the Development of Western China. Beijing: CITIC Press Group

LIN SHITING* Department of History, College of Liberal Arts, Shanghai University, China

SINCE THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE (BRI) Chinese diplomacy and international relations. He cur-

was put forward in 2013, 172 countries and internatio- rently works at the Party School of the CPC Central

nal organizations have signed cooperation agreements Committee and is the author of The Belt and Road Initi-

with China, and the cumulative trade volume of goods ative: China’s Civilizational Rise and many other books

has reached 9.2 trillion US dollars. At the same time, the and articles.

study of the BRI has gradually become a “promising re- The Belt and Road Initiative and the Development of

search field”, which has aroused the warm attention of Western China consists of eight chapters, which can be

scholars in China and around the world. However, while divided into three parts. The first part consists of chap-

foreign scholars focus more on the international factors ters 1, 2, and 3, introducing how Western China has

and global impact of the BRI, Chinese scholars prefer to greatly improved its opening up to the outside world by

analyze the domestic background of the BRI and its great actively participating in the BRI. The second part inc-

contribution to China’s development. Among them, The ludes chapters 4, 5, and 6. It mainly introduces that the

Belt and Road Initiative and the Development of Western western region has made remarkable progress in econo-

China, written by Professor Zhao Lei, is a representati- mic development by strengthening economic and trade

ve work in Chinese academia. Zhao Lei is a well-known cooperation, cultural tourism cooperation and Green

Chinese political scientist whose research focuses on Silk Road construction with Central Asia countries un-

* Lin Shiting, Master Student from the Department of History, College of Liberal Arts, Shanghai University. Email: lindsay2020@foxmail.com Recieved: 08.02.2022 Accepted: 01.05.2022

90 How to cite: Lin, S. (2022). Domestic Reasons for the Belt and Road Initiative. [Review of the book The

Belt and Road Initiative and the Development of Western China by Zhao, L.] Belt & Road Initiative Quarterly (BRIQ), 3(3), 90-92.

der the framework of the BRI. The third part includes from a single airport in Urumqi to 21 airports (p. 81).

chapters 7 and 8, taking the case of the China-Europe Shaanxi Province has established several international

Railway Express to introduce the great impetus brought production capacity cooperation centers, such as Aiju

by the BRI for the development of the western region, Grain and Oil Industrial Park in Kazakhstan and Zhong-

western countries’ cognition of the BRI, and China’s da Industrial Park in Kyrgyzstan. Guangxi Zhuang Auto-

response. nomous Region continues to promote the construction

of the China-Indochina Peninsula International Economic Corridor, strengthen cooperation with Association In general, how to make use of of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries to build the BRI to promote the formation a “Digital Silk Road”, and build a Beidou navigation ser-

of a high-level opening-up pattern vice base facing ASEAN. Yunnan Province, which faces

in western China is the target South Asia and Southeast Asia, trives to build a regio-

theme of Zhao’s book, and how to nal international economic and trade center. In 2019, its

rely on the BRI to realize the grand foreign trade volume exceeded 200 billion yuan for the

blueprint of a community with a first time, accounting for more than 70% of the total tra-

shared future for mankind is its de share with countries along the BRI.

purpose and phi­losophy. Second, international cooperation promoted by

the BRI, especially cooperation between China and

In general, how to make use of the BRI to promote Central Asia countries, has reaped rich fruits. Nei-

the formation of a high-level opening-up pattern in wes- ghborhood diplomacy is an important part of China’s

tern China is the target theme of Zhao’s book, and how major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristi-

to rely on the BRI to realize the grand blueprint of a com- cs. As a neighboring region, Central Asia is not only at

munity with a shared future for mankind is its purpose the forefront of the Westward push of the BRI but also

and philosophy. a demonstration area for promoting China’s internati-

First, the internal reason for China to propose the onal cooperation. As soon as the BRI was put forward,

BRI is to achieve a high-quality opening-up in Wes- it received positive responses from the five Central

tern China. Narrowing the development gap between Asian countries.

the eastern and western regions has long been one of the In terms of infrastructure construction, Chinese com-

priorities of the Chinese government. As early as 2000, panies have assisted and undertaken several infrastruc-

the Chinese government has put forward the “Great ture projects in Central Asia, including but not limited

Western Development” plan and carried out key pro- to Almaty Solar Power Station, Almaty Wind Power Sta-

jects such as the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the south-to- tion, Turgusun Hydropower Station, Capital Ring Road

north water diversion project, and the west-to-east gas (Kazakhstan), and the Kamchik tunnel of the Anglian

transmission project. These projects have greatly pro- Pappu railway (Uzbekistan), have solved the long-stan-

moted energy industry development in western China, ding problems of power supply, heating, transportation,

but the problem of unbalanced development between and other livelihood issues for the local people.

the east and the west is still quite prominent. At the economic and trade cooperation level, hi-

Therefore, the BRI was put forward in this context, gh-quality Chinese enterprises have entered Central

and western provinces have carried out a series of pra- Asian countries with capital investment and industrial

ctices under the initiative. Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous technology and built industrial parks such as the Chi-

Region has continuously strengthened its aviation cons- na-Kazakhstan Border Cooperation Center, China-Taji-

truction and has achieved a magnificent transformation kistan Industrial Park, and Djizzak Industrial Park. The-

se investments promote the economic transformation of single line (Chongqing, China - Duisburg, Germany) in

this region and achieve win-win cooperation. Take the 2011. With the advantages of price, speed, and service, it

Caspian Sea Asphalt Plant as an example. It is an impor- has formed three major west, middle, and east channels.

tant project for the joint construction of the BRI between Raw materials such as textiles, electronic products, and

China and Kazakhstan. After the plant began operation, rubber can be exported from Southeast Asia to Central

it quickly met the demand for asphalt in Kazakhstan, and Asia and Europe, and products such as fast-moving go-

at the same time, it showed good social benefits in terms ods, machinery, and non-ferrous metals can be exported

of employment and personnel training. from Europe to Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea

(p. 248). This book also expounds on the influence of Con-

The Chinese have an old saying fucianism on the BRI. Prof. Zhao proposed two con-

when facing a crisis, “A chopstick cepts to explain the philosophical meaning of the BRI.

is easily broken, but ten pairs One is “Confucius’ Improvement”, and another one is

of chopsticks hold together into “Mencius’s Optimal” (p. 177). “Confucius’ Improve-

a ball”. This ancient historical ment” emphasizes that the realization of self-interest

wisdom is still quite suitable for and the interests of others are closely related, and only

today’s current situation. when the related interests of others are realized can sel-

f-interest be realized. “Mencius’s Optimal” emphasizes

At the level of people-to-people and cultural exchan- that individual interests and group interests are coexis-

ges, labor dispatch has deepened the exchanges between ting and co-promoting. Only in groups with sufficient

workers on both sides in terms of infrastructure techno- cooperation and harmonious member relationships can

logy, overseas tourism has spawned a wave of Chinese the individual interests of group members be optimally

citizens traveling to Central Asia, and cultural exchanges realized.

have expanded the scale of international students from In the BRI, any country can be self-interested and

both sides and improved cultural understanding. So far, other-interested, reflecting the idea of “Confucius’ Im-

13 Confucius Institutes have been set up in Central Asia. provement”. Respecting the diversity and complemen-

Third, the BRI is a global public product that Chi- tarity of cooperating subjects is the practical concept of

na, as a responsible country, provides to the world. the Belt and Road Initiative, which embodies the idea

Taking the China-Europe Railway Express as an examp- of “Mencius’s Optimal”.

le, China hopes to deeply participate in the economic Since the Great Discovery in the 1500s, our world

integration of the Eurasian continent. The Eurasian has become a whole. The economy and war have dee-

continent’s population accounts for 75% of the world's pened the world’s connection, and the global spread of

population, and its trade volume accounts for more than COVID-19 has cemented it. The Chinese have an old

60% of the world’s total, with huge potential for econo- saying when facing a crisis, “A chopstick is easily broken,

mic development. However, many countries in the Eu- but ten pairs of chopsticks hold together into a ball”. This

rasian continent are restricted by many factors and fail ancient historical wisdom is still quite suitable for today’s

to share the fruits of economic development. current situation. History can testify that adhering to the

The cross-border flow of products, personnel, and ser- principle of the inclusiveness of Chinese culture and bu-

vices brought by the China-Europe Railway Express will ilding a community with a shared future for mankind

give these countries unprecedented development oppor- through the BRI is not a rigid slogan but a deliberate and

tunities. The China-Europe Railway Express launched a vivid practice of China for the whole world.