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In his separate visit to Kazakhstan and Indonesia in September and October 2013, President Xi Jinping of China called for joint development of an “Economic Belt along the Silk Road” and “Maritime Silk Road of the 21st Century”. The “Belt” and the “Road” are two major initiatives that China has made to deepen reform and opening-up and advance it’s neighborhood diplomacy. They have been written into the documents of the Third Plenum of the 18th CPC Central Comittee, The Meeting on Neighborhood Diplomacy and the Central Economic Work Conference, and have been enthusiastically received both at home and abroad.
1. The “Belt” and “Road” initiatives are the continuation and development of the spirit of the ancient Silk Road.
Over 2000 years ago, the industrious and the brave people of Eurasian continent opened several trade routes connecting major civilizations across Asia, Europe and Africa. Together, they were referred to as the “Silk Road” by succeeding generations. Despite repeated strifes and wars in Eurasia, traffic on the Silk Road, with sound of camel bells and endless flows of caravans and ships, never stopped completely. Transportation and technologies were so backward back then, yet nothing would keep the merchants, the wise the learned and envoys from traveling across mountains and rivers amid untold difficulties, and exploring the Silk Road with utmost resilience and courage. Countries large and small along the routes had all reaped considerable benefits from the Silk Road. China learnt a lot from other countries, and so did these countries from China. Such links from mutual emulation via the Silk Road made exchanges of goods, know-how, people and ideas possible, promoted and economic, cultural and social progress in the various countries, facilitated dialogue and integration of different civilizations, and left behind brilliant pages in human history.
Moving into the 21st century, an era that is dominated by the themes of peace, development and cooperation but continues to feature a complex international and regional landscape, the Silk Road has become all teh more important and precious as a symbol of peace, cooperation, openness, inclusiveness, mutual learning and resilience. If our ancestors could treat each other with respect as equals, work for mutual benefit and rise above occasional hostility 2000 years ago, it is all more pressing for us today to carry this invaluable legacy forward. It is all the more crucial for the international community to embrace the spirit of the ancient Silk Road, bring it up to date , instill greater dynamism, and realize its value in this new age , thus creating a new material and cultural wealth for humanity.
