Ruhi Kulkarni
The Silk Road, built in 130 B.C remains a prominent part of history because of the system of trade through eurasian empires it has inaugurated and the influx of ideas it synthesized. China’s modern day Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is China's way of recreating the silk road—this time, with two “roads” or “belts.” The Economic Belt is a network of infrastructure through Eurasia that stretches out to 6 corridors, or areas of major economic growth. This includes railways, energy pipelines, oil refineries, industrial park, power plants, mines, and fiber optic network highways, to and through Venice, Moscow, Tehran, Istanbul, and other major cities in the Eurasia region. The Maritime Road, as it is called, is a chain of sea ports that stretches from the China Sea to Africa. As part of the initiative, major sea ports have been built in Myanmar, the Maldives, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and 46 ports currently existing in Africa that are tied to Chinese companies. and various other locations that lead to Africa. The Maritime Road and Economic belt display a clear strategy— expansion and accessibility to Chinese trade through land and sea. As of now, the initiative incorporates 60 countries, affecting nearly 60% of the world population.The plan is valuable for connectivity between nations, as well as promoting diplomacy, international relations, and boosting economic growth.
It seems like a global solution that promotes harmony, trade, and is establishing infrastructure in countries in need of it. Dig deeper, and there is much to cover that is not seen at a superficial glance. The reason that many nations, particularly those that may not be able to afford the building of such infrastructure, are agreeing to China’s terms, because of the limited implications and conditions put on the agreement. Nations like Mongolia and Pakistan are considered high risk for being unable to pay China back for these infrastructures, yet China continues to pay because of what China gets in return. Repossession is the key here. When a nation in debt to China can not pay the money, China gains control over these certain established infrastructures. Even with the loss of ownership of major infrastructure, it is a win-win for both countries involved, but especially China, a nation that desires hegemony.
DRM Journal states, “Control over the South China Sea is one of the milestones in the Chinese strategy for dominance. The sea itself is one of the busiest commercial routes and the shortest possible way connecting the West Pacific/East Asia with the Indian Ocean, Africa, and Europe. It also provides direct access to nine of the ten largest commercial ports in the world.” China’s ‘Pearl of Strings,’ or Maritime Road as it is officially called, is a system put in place to dominate this exact region that DRM Journal discusses. With ownership of major ports along the road now with the debt traps discussed, China is able to install its military and naval bases along this very road. China’s forces will obviously monitor the flow of trade in this region, but how much? China has the second largest naval force in the world, meaning not only do they have the power to monopolize trade on the Maritime Road, but China is now strategically placed to dominate the Indian Ocean region. In both cases, this plan allows for China to be hegemonic economically and in terms of naval power. So what does this mean if war were to erupt? The Economic Belt is also established by China, meaning the Chinese military technically has access to places where infrastructure has been built along the road—all in major cities in Eurasia. With access to naval ports stretching from Africa to China, and internal access into Eurasia through the Economic Belt, China has a firm hold on three continents. China could single handedly start and end a world war with that much power, similar to great empires in history that have left their protectorates miserable.
The United States and America are head to head for the first place ranking in economic terms, and the establishment of the Belt and Road Initiative could be just what gives China one step ahead of the United States. Currently, the Maritime Road includes Africa, and south Asia, while the Economic Belt accesses major European Countries as well as the rest of Asia. Europe, Asia, and Africa are all interconnected solely due to this one initiative. The primary point to take from this, is that Chinese currency will be used on a grander scale, bringing more value to the currency and thus bettering the Chinese economy. And second, the Atlantic Ocean separates the United States from all the action. It’s impossible for the United States to ever be involved in this grand scale trading opportunity. While China is able to access trade with more nations, and thus create diplomatic relations with other nations through discussions of establishing infrastructure, the United States of America is just a bystander. While China is gaining soft power, and establishing its name on the international level as a global superpower through the BRI, the United States has to resort to other measures.
It’s unfortunate because the image is more warped than it seems to be. Most of the nations are in fact not benefitting as much as China is. Even Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed cancelled two Chinese funded projects, stating, “We do not want a situation where there is a new version of colonialism happening because poor countries are unable to compete with rich countries.” It can not be more clearly stated— China is taking advantage of countries geographic location to set up infrastructure of their own use, in the name of two-way-trade.
This is crucial to US-China relations, because China is now a threat for that number one global superpower position, more than ever with the establishment of the BRI. Further, China’s Belt and Road Initiative is a practical and modern day example of neocolonialism. The widespread currency use, military installment in foreign nations, and debt traps are all forms of cultural imperialism and globalisation, both a critical part of neocolonialism’s definition. And the developing nations happen to be those along the Eurasia and East Pacific paths, who are developing their economies through new infrastructure and international connectivity. China is trapping nations into repossession of established infrastructure, is ultimately influencing and controlling other nations. Neo-Imperialism doesn't necessarily make a nation evil, but the intentions behind neo-imperialism it may be.
Greed is a dynamic source of evil. Characterized by the desire for more, greed has destroyed the reigns of previous rulers like Napoleon and Stalin, in the name of good. It’s possible that China’s everlasting desire to be the “ultimate global superpower” can be the fatal flaw within its own vision. That is—if enough nations are willing to look past the shortcomings of diplomacy, trade, and friendship— to see the true colors of the power that seeks to globalize.
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