Aarish U.Khan
Aarish U. Khan is a Research Analyst at the Institute of Regional Studies.
DOI: http://DOI Number
Keywords: China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Silk Road, connectivity, Middle East, Europe, Pakistan, Iran, CPEC, SREB
Abstract
In September 2013, while on a trip of the Central Asian republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for “operation in specific areas and linking them up over time to span the entire region,” implying a resurrection of the Silk Road. President Xi did not leave out South Asia. With an agreement now in place to establish an economic corridor from Pakistan’s Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea’s coast to China’s Xinjiang Uighur autonomous region, the rebirth of the Silk Road might play a significant role in connecting Pakistan’s warm-water ports to Central Asia via China. Earlier in 2011, in an effort to shore up its fading influence in Central Asia, Russia launched a new initiative. Earlier in 2011, in an effort to shore up the US’s fading influence in Central Asia, then-Secretary of State Hilary Clinton introduced the concept of the New Silk Road, which would connect Central Asia with India via Afghanistan and Pakistan, avoiding China. However, the outlines of the American concept of the New Silk Road leaned more toward geopolitics than geoeconomics. The Chinese notion of the New Silk Road, on the other hand, focuses on economic factors, which is a more accommodating approach to such long-term schemes with economic promise. The determination of all parties would be determined by how much they stand to earn from it. This study examines the future of the Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB) in light of China’s history and current condition of relations with Central Asia. It also explores the prospects of the Pakistan-China Economic Corridor (PCEC) and how it could assist Pakistan connect with Central Asia via the SREB. The Chinese plan also includes a modern-day maritime Silk Road connecting China to other countries in the area, including Pakistan’s Gwadar port, although that is outside the scope of this article.
First Published
June 25, 2014
How to Cite
Aarish U.Khan, “China Goes West: Reviving The Silk Route,” Regional Studies 32, no.3 (Summer 2014): 95-108, https://regionalstudies.com.pk/wp/article/china-goes-west-reviving-the-silk-route/
Issue
Volume 32, Issue 2