Eurasian Union Countries May Get More Profit the New Silk Road

• 01.26.2015, 17:58
•  Region,  Asia,  World,  Interview

"Armedia" Information Analytical Agency introduces interview with JU Zhengji,  Ph.D. fellow, Nanjing University, China

-Please tell about the new initiative of China – New Silk Road.

-It is more than two thousand years that the famous Silk Road has been operating. It began from China and linked it to the west, thus connecting Asia to Europe and Africa.  On this Silk Road, eastern and western goods, including Chinese silk and western spices, were transported for business via mountains, plateaus, basins, lakes, rivers and seas, from which the people of the three continents benefited. 

On 7 Sept 2013, the Chinese President Xi in his speech at Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan proposed the concept of New Silk Road Economic Belt and New Maritime Silk Road. In the new concept, the economic cooperation of relevant countries is to be enhanced.

- What does China want to gain from this project?

- One tree does not make a forest. As the largest developing country in the world, China hopes to make friends with all the countries on the earth and to develop together with them. It is only in a stable and prosperous world environment that China can develop.

China will never try to gain a dominant role in regional affairs, and does not seek for a global influence. China will never interfere in the domestic affairs of other countries, always respecting the political roads chosen by the peoples of different countries.

China is a real friend, worth trusting, helping and supporting. By the efforts of all the countries on the road, the business, agriculture, industry, security, etc, of the partner countries will, including China will benefit from  all the cooperators, including China, will benefit.

-Which countries can be a part of this initiative?

- All the countries on or near the road can join this wide and free economic cooperation, including:

1. Central Asia

Including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan,

2. The Middle East / ‘Western Asia,’

Including Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, etc.

3. The Caucasus and Eastern Europe,

Including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, etc.

4. Russia

5. Afghanistan. Pakistan, India

-With which countries has China already signed agreements concerning this project?

- The concept of New Silk Road and New Maritime Silk Road have been wildly welcomed by many countries in the world, including Asia and Europe, with which China cooperates within different projects. China would like to make more and more friends, but will never sign a treaty to create a political union.

-How will this road pass through the South Caucasus?

- The New Silk Road will surely go through South Caucasus, which is one of the most important traffic hubs from Asia to Europe. The Road will go through Caspian Sea, Black Sea and Armenia Highland. Three countries of South Caucasus, including Armenia Azerbaijan and Georgia, are now very good friends of China.

- What is China’s policy in the South Caucasus ?

- China hopes that this region can very fast develop in the situation of stability and in cooperation with the world. Development of the economy, which contributes to the improvement of living standard of the people, will help to solve the political problems.

China hopes to cooperate with the South Caucasus in every economical field. China has the ability to help them in agriculture, industry, transportation, etc. China is also a very large market, from which the South Caucasus can benefit.

-Is the New Silk Road an alternative to Putin’s Eurasian Economic Union?

-The New Silk Road and the Eurasian Economic Union do not contradict each other. On the contrary, they can complement each other. The initiators of the Eurasian Economic Union were Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, which gained their independence after the breakup of the Soviet Union. The New Silk Road is China’s initiation, the biggest developing country in the world. These two projects connect the Pacific Rim Economic Belt and the European Union, but produce different kind of goods. The two could cooperate very well and depend on each other for a mutually beneficial future.

 - Are there intersecting points between these two initiatives?

-  Of course, these two initiatives have many points of intersection. China is a very large market for goods such as fossil energy, with which the Eurasian Union is rich. The Eurasian Union has advantages in many aspects (such as location, resource, technology, etc.) for China to invest in and cooperate with.

-How can the Eurasian Union countries participate in New Silk Road?

- China and Russia are now very good friends, helping each other in many fields. Other countries can participate either in the Eurasian Union or in the New Silk Road, or in both of them.  The New Silk Road is an open and free strategy, in which probably a large number of countries will participate in the near future. The Eurasian Union countries which may also join the New Silk Road may get more profit and play a more important role in the world economy. China always has a tolerant attitude, welcoming more and more friends to a mutually cooperative partnership.

Interview taken by Naira Mkrtchyan