Moscow is not hurrying to the “Silk Road”

• 04.26.2015, 10:19
•  Europe,  EEU,  America,  Asia,  World

This year, Beijing will develop a detailed strategic plan for the creation of "Economic Belt of Silk Road." As Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said recently, the implementation of this initiative will be the "focus" of foreign policy of Beijing in the next five years.

To create this project Beijing intends to use the funds of the Asian Bank of Infrastructure Investments (AIIB) with its authorized capital of $ 50 billion, the total assets of 100 billion and of "Silk Road" Fund, specially created for this project - another $ 40 billion.

Actually, the "new Silk Roads" will be two: land and sea. The exact route of land is still under discussion, but in general it should start in Xinjiang province of China, then Kazakhstan, Central Asia, northern Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Czech Republic, Germany.

"Maritime Silk Road of XXI Century" must begin at Chinese ports of Guangzhou and Canton, from there will go through Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Suez Canal and Mediterranean Sea with a branch in Africa. And the meeting point of two paths, land and sea, will be Italian Venice.

The fastest way to a strategy of "Silk Road" responded, as usual, USA. And Washington has already achieved some success. It works on two fronts - USA creates Trans-Pacific Trade Pact, which does not provide for the participation of Beijing, and enhances military ties in the region, primarily with India. That’s why Beijing decided to put stress on the land route. And this, accordingly, increased for Beijing the importance of Russian participation in the project.

In particular, China is willing to consider the inclusion in the project the reconstruction of BAM and the Trans-Sib, high-speed railway lines in the Russian territory, participation in the modernization and expansion of airport complexes in Siberia and the Far East.
Beijing also returned to its initiative to establish a free trade zone for the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. And it continues to advocate the SCO Development Bank - as an additional tool for implementing the strategy of "Silk Road".
It is worth mentioning that establishing BRICS Development Bank, AIIB, SCO Development Bank and “Silk Road” Fund, Beijing emphasizes that it does not intend to use the principles that form the basis of the World Bank and the IMF.
But why Moscow still does not use the opportunities offered by China?

Most probably, Russian politicians continue to fear from the large-scale economic expansion of China.