Page 36 - Azerbaijan State University of Economics

THE JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC SCIENCES: THEORY AND PRACTICE, V.75, # 1, 2018, pp. 32-41

However, some countries argue that there is no clear agenda in the BRI, nor a
guarantee of security. Beyond the most biased comments coming from the major
competitors of China, in general these criticisms do not capture the genealogy and
the sense of the BRI. There cannot be a defined agenda, because of the large number
of countries involved (more than 60) and the geopolitical uncertainties and surprises.
As always, China provides a proposal, called "initiative" and not strategy, and
gradually refines it, experimenting, adapting, reaching compromises and persuading
the parties involved regarding the benefits deriving from a greater interconnection
(NDRC 2015). The BRI is therefore an intercontinental projection of integration and
interconnection, aimed at peaceful coexistence among peoples, a sort of open text in
which each participant should endeavor to offer its own contribution.

It is important to remember the deep roots of China’s new influence, culturally and
politically, in the current changes of the international order (Parenti 2018). The
influence of Chinese thought and words on the international arena has been growing
dramatically in recent years, in step with economic and diplomatic successes. In fact,
“China in the new era” is also represented by a stronger international soft power -
that is the power of ideas and strategies alternative to the status quo - exerted in the
most authoritative seats of the established world order. This is occurring in
economic and political forums such as Group of 20 nations, World Economic
Forum, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, World Trade Organization and in
other forums shaped by Chinese initiatives such as Asian Infrastructure Investment
Bank, the New Development Bank and the Belt and Road initiative (Parenti 2017;
Ramo 2004).

The new Chinese cultural power on the world scale is supported, legitimized and
deeply rooted in the material manifestations of the BRI, which includes more than
100 organizations. The initiative is already a reality, in the process of being updated,
and it is inclusive, cooperative and open to adaptation, being free from ideological
and political discriminants. This reality is the opposite of the old and smaller
Marshall Plan.

The current economic debate on China in Europe is on the Belt and Road Initiative.
It could be criticised as an expansion of the recent explosion of China’s national
power. However, the willingness of acquiring a more important role in global trade
and value chains could be traced back to around 20 years ago.

The Chinese strategies of the last 20 years have created the conditions for the BRI to
be a realistic and attractive project. As said, I refer to the “go west” and “go abroad
strategy”. The first was deployed from the late 1990s to today, favoring the

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