The role of China in Eurasia: What is BRI?

BRI (The Belt and Road Initiative, also known as OBOR –“One Belt One Road Initiative”) – a huge Chinese strategic economy trade “New Silk Road” project, which consists in the search, formation and promotion of a new model of international cooperation and development by strengthening the existing regional bilateral and multilateral mechanisms and structures with China.

What’s the point?

BRI is the main focus for the implementation of the strategic goals of China, also “One Belt One Way” calls for the development of new mechanisms for regional economic partnerships, stimulate the economic prosperity of the countries involved, strengthen cultural exchanges, and promote peace and sustainable development. In general, it is a kind of “New Silk Road”, which has two parts – One Belt, which has six corridors:

The New Eurasia Land Bridge Economic Corridor
The China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor
The China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor
The China-Indochina Peninsula Economic Corridor
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
The Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar Economic Corridor

and One Road, which seeks to carry out maritime trade between Chinese ports and Europe.

The initiative can bring huge amount of debates whether it is hegemony over Eurasia and China is striving for world domination, and questions are how this strategy will affect other countries and also relations with the USA, how much China will influence authoritarian and democratic countries, how this initiative will affect the internal affairs of partner countries, and many other issues remain to be seen.

Sources:

http://www.beltandroadforum2019.com/conference-profile/overview/

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/ng-interactive/2018/jul/30/what-china-belt-road-initiative-silk-road-explainer