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Belt and Road forum: Return of the Old World?
Global Village Space |
Jawad Falak |
The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation took place in China on May 14–15, 2017 in Beijing, and hosted 29 foreign heads of states, representatives from more than 130 countries, and 70 international organizations. It was one of the premier diplomatic events of the year and the highest profile international event promoting the Belt and Road Initiative.
Many observers assert it to be the first step to institutionalize the Belt and Road Forum (BRF), with President Xi Jinping announcing that the next edition of the conclave would be held in 2019. Mr. Xi said during an interaction with the media that the BRF would be held again after two years. The first Belt and Road forum is considered by many to be a great success with many terming it as a “mini UN”.
The rise of the BRI coupled with newer institutions such as Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the BRICS Bank have given an alternative to the Bretton woods system.
The Belt and Road is significant in many ways. Its reach extended to Fiji in Micronesia, Chile, and Argentina no longer making it a project just restricted to Eurasia. In many ways, it can be asserted to be the launch of a new world order which will have the Old World back to its preeminent position. The Old World is used in the West to refer to Africa, Europe, and Asia (Afro-Eurasia).
Read more: Pakistan, China, and Russia: New Great Game in South & Central Asia?
Much of human history has taken place in the Old World which was the center of power of human civilization since antiquity. Though great civilizations existed in the Americas and Australasia, yet they could not impact the course of history as the cultures inhabiting the Old World did. Much of the sociocultural and sociopolitical trends prevalent today have their roots in the Old World. It was after the end of the Cold War that the center of power shifted completely to the New World i.e. Americas.
The Old World was labeled the World Island by famed British Academic Sir Halford John Mackinder in his Pivot of History theory or Heartland theory. He identified the World Island as having over 50% of the world’s resources leaving any power in control of the World Island as the dominant power in the world. Famed American former National Security Advisor Brzezinski was also appreciative of the Old World’s significance and formulated a Eurasian geostrategy for the United States. In his perception, it was vital that no Eurasian challenger should emerge capable of dominating Eurasia and thus also of challenging America’s global pre-eminence.
However, the rise of China and the resurgence of Russia have put paid to American supremacy. The emerging Russia-Iran-China nexus in the Middle East is overturning the pro-US order in the region. Syria and Ukraine have become the main rally points that have turned back the unipolarity that favored the US. The tussle with China in the South China Sea is a direct impact on US hegemony in the Pacific region. The only last strength that the US enjoyed was the Bretton woods system that prolonged its financial and economic hegemony on the entire world.
The emerging Russia-Iran-China nexus in the Middle East is overturning the pro-US order in the region. Syria and Ukraine have become the main rally points that have turned back the unipolarity that favored the US.
Now that last stronghold is being breached by multiple factors such as the waning US economy and the dissolving EU but the Belt and Road initiative is now the final straw. The rise of the BRI coupled with newer institutions such as Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the BRICS Bank have given an alternative to the Bretton woods system.
The Belt and Road Forum highlighted many beneficiaries as well as those that have lost out:
China
Without a doubt, China remains the greatest beneficiary of the Belt and Road Forum. Not only has it institutionalized its most ambitious and greatest project yet but has attained an important step in bringing forth the “Peaceful Rise of China”. China has started regaining its due importance and stature in the world without even firing a single bullet.
Read full article:
Belt and Road forum: Return of the Old World?
Global Village Space |
Jawad Falak |
The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation took place in China on May 14–15, 2017 in Beijing, and hosted 29 foreign heads of states, representatives from more than 130 countries, and 70 international organizations. It was one of the premier diplomatic events of the year and the highest profile international event promoting the Belt and Road Initiative.
Many observers assert it to be the first step to institutionalize the Belt and Road Forum (BRF), with President Xi Jinping announcing that the next edition of the conclave would be held in 2019. Mr. Xi said during an interaction with the media that the BRF would be held again after two years. The first Belt and Road forum is considered by many to be a great success with many terming it as a “mini UN”.
The rise of the BRI coupled with newer institutions such as Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the BRICS Bank have given an alternative to the Bretton woods system.
The Belt and Road is significant in many ways. Its reach extended to Fiji in Micronesia, Chile, and Argentina no longer making it a project just restricted to Eurasia. In many ways, it can be asserted to be the launch of a new world order which will have the Old World back to its preeminent position. The Old World is used in the West to refer to Africa, Europe, and Asia (Afro-Eurasia).
Read more: Pakistan, China, and Russia: New Great Game in South & Central Asia?
Much of human history has taken place in the Old World which was the center of power of human civilization since antiquity. Though great civilizations existed in the Americas and Australasia, yet they could not impact the course of history as the cultures inhabiting the Old World did. Much of the sociocultural and sociopolitical trends prevalent today have their roots in the Old World. It was after the end of the Cold War that the center of power shifted completely to the New World i.e. Americas.
The Old World was labeled the World Island by famed British Academic Sir Halford John Mackinder in his Pivot of History theory or Heartland theory. He identified the World Island as having over 50% of the world’s resources leaving any power in control of the World Island as the dominant power in the world. Famed American former National Security Advisor Brzezinski was also appreciative of the Old World’s significance and formulated a Eurasian geostrategy for the United States. In his perception, it was vital that no Eurasian challenger should emerge capable of dominating Eurasia and thus also of challenging America’s global pre-eminence.
However, the rise of China and the resurgence of Russia have put paid to American supremacy. The emerging Russia-Iran-China nexus in the Middle East is overturning the pro-US order in the region. Syria and Ukraine have become the main rally points that have turned back the unipolarity that favored the US. The tussle with China in the South China Sea is a direct impact on US hegemony in the Pacific region. The only last strength that the US enjoyed was the Bretton woods system that prolonged its financial and economic hegemony on the entire world.
The emerging Russia-Iran-China nexus in the Middle East is overturning the pro-US order in the region. Syria and Ukraine have become the main rally points that have turned back the unipolarity that favored the US.
Now that last stronghold is being breached by multiple factors such as the waning US economy and the dissolving EU but the Belt and Road initiative is now the final straw. The rise of the BRI coupled with newer institutions such as Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the BRICS Bank have given an alternative to the Bretton woods system.
The Belt and Road Forum highlighted many beneficiaries as well as those that have lost out:
China
Without a doubt, China remains the greatest beneficiary of the Belt and Road Forum. Not only has it institutionalized its most ambitious and greatest project yet but has attained an important step in bringing forth the “Peaceful Rise of China”. China has started regaining its due importance and stature in the world without even firing a single bullet.
Read full article:
Belt and Road forum: Return of the Old World?
