Huang Renwei

(Vice President, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences)

Author

Huang Renwei, PhD, Researcher, Vice President of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. Huang's previous posts include Director of Shanghai Institutes of International Studies, Secretary General of World Forum on China Studies, Vice President of China National Association for International Studies, Vice President of China Association of America Studies, and President of Shanghai Association of American Studies. For over 30 years, Dr. Huang dedicates to research on American history, Sino-U.S. relations, the mainland relations with Taiwan, global governance, international economic relations as well as the rise of China.

Abstract

The historical significance of the New Silk Road First, the new Silk Road is a new corridor linking the Chinese market to Eurasia markets; it will change the traditional Europe-Asia shipping route, which is via the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. Second, the new Silk Road will make the Eurasia inland area, a once marginalized region in the international market, a center of trade so that the Central Asian countries can become a trade center of the Eastern Hemisphere. If that happens, it is possible that the inland area of Eurasia will resume its international status after it was cut off from the world trade when the 15th century Silk Road was abandoned. Third, the new Silk Road is not just road connections. It is a combination of industrial and market belts composed of high-speed railways (regular railways), expressways (roads), flight corridors, oil and natural gas pipelines, high-voltage transmission lines, telecommunications, river routes and eco-systems. Fourth, the new Silk Road Economic Belt will also be conducive to cultural exchanges, facilitate large-scale flow of population, culture and society. It will bring enormous dynamics to East-West cooperation and safeguard world peace and stability.