In 2013,Xi Jinping,the president of China,announced a plan of ‘One Belt,One Road’(一带一路). It is a plan for New Silk Road throughout Eurasia by both land and sea. One of them to be called ‘One Belt’ is a crosswise land Road passing through from Chong Qing,China to German,and other is ‘One Road’ which is a lengthwise sea route passing through from Shanghai to Italy via the Indian Ocean.
Many economists and the countries concerned understand that China would use its geopolitical advantage as stepping stone to initiatively,exploit new Eurasian Economic Zone with other countries in this region.
Just considering the transport in the world,it would results in new transport and logistics mode globally to be superseded by land centric transport and logistics using a land bridge between Asia and Europe,instead of sea centric one through the ocean traditionally. Moreover,if it comes true successfully,it would provide many opportunities in this region not only economically but also politically. Especially it would be a possibility of Power shift from United States to China in this region.
How can China propose this boldly? Firstly we can raise a political stability in this region. China had settled up the long conflicts of its frontlines with Russia in the north and India in the west peacefully. This stability of the border area surrounding China in center of Asia geographically has caused people in this area to visit one another and communicate more freely through the land.
Secondly the powers in this region such as China,India and Russia implicitly have a consensus to intend to keep their interests and extend their influences in this region exclusive of the United States,the sole superpower in the world.
Thirdly,it is a change of world economy and business paradigm. Since China had begun the open policy in 1980s,it has become an economic power in Asia. In 1990s,European Union emerged as another strong economic power in Europe. Now both combined economic powers have grown up to be equal to that of the United States. And these new rising powers in this region need to cooperate for the international issues not only politics but also economy together against the power of the United States. Another factor of business has been the advent of a multi-national enterprise era. This has strongly driven the trade and business environment in the world to further globalize in many fields. Accordingly,the changes of transport and logistics as well as trade and finance are inevitable in many ways.
To realize this,however,there lie in many challenges. First of all,China needs to make an agreement with the regional countries ranging from Asian countries to European countries in the far distance. In particular,the land route to be called ‘One Belt’ is more difficult to coordinate with all countries involved than sea route to be called ‘One Road’. To set up a route in land,it is the most important issue in this area. How can they coordinate it with satisfaction and gain the cooperation of the members voluntarily? This is vital problem to be solved. And China also needs to have the support of the United States outside politically and financially. It still has many influences on the small and middle countries in this region. So I think that the success of this project depends on how to adjust various interests of countries concerned and then set up trans-continental routes effectively without conflict.
As known well,All over the countries in this region have already proceed with,either small or big,many projects for their infrastructures for themselves or with regional economies like ASEAN in support of the United Nations or other international or regional financial institutions such as ADB,World Bank etc. since 1950s.
As a result of the study,it is suggested that,for the sake of strategic priority,East Asian countries,especially China,would better make an effort to set up a free trade zone or at least a limited container yard jointly operated with countries involved,at a place to be interfaced to a continental link bridge as now existed,for instance,at a border area between TSR and TCR or TCR and TKR,and then proceed with the new routes needed to connect each major border trade zone in such a way as point to point link throughout in this area,under an agreement to be reached by multilateral or bilateral negotiation.
It is noted that this study focus on East Asian countries finitely because geographically the projects in the wide range of Pan-Eurasia are too broad to proceed with together. Strictly speaking,the concept of Pan-Eurasia just puts both continents together technically.