IndexSource: Tim WinterObjectives of the One Belt One Road InitiativeStrategic Objectives of the BRIC CountriesCultural FactorsDevelopment Potential and Concerns Introduction and History Launched in 2013, the One Belt One Road Initiative (OBOR or BRI) is a Chinese foreign policy of a transnational economic belt. The scale of the initiative is astonishing as it is the largest of its kind launched by a single country so far. The OBOR consists of two parts: The Silk Road Economic Belt, historically was a route for ancient China to communicate and trade with Central Asia and the Middle East over 2000 years ago, with the first trace of the Road of Silk dating from the Han dynasty, when Emperor Wudi sent Zhang Qian from western China to the Middle East. Another segment is the 21st century Maritime Silk Road, a maritime route that circles Southeast Asia, the Persian Gulf, and the Horn of Africa. In summary, more than two-thirds of the world's population and more than one-third of global economic output will be affected by the initiative and could involve Chinese investments totaling $4 trillion. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay For many in the region, the Silk Road is a story of peaceful trade and a rich history of religious and harmonious cultural exchange. The Belt and Road seeks to build directly on this legacy. It is based on a historical narrative that connectivity – both cultural and economic – reduces suspicion and promotes common prosperity, an idea that is eagerly embraced by states concerned about civil unrest, both within and beyond their borders . In November 2015, Nursultan Nazarbayev, president of Kazakhstan, chose UNESCO headquarters in Paris to announce the country's new Peace Academy, saying that "we can best counter extremism through intercultural and interreligious dialogue." of the BRI, the Silk Road of marine time also plays an important role both historically and currently. One of the most famous historical figures in Chinese history is Admiral Zheng He, who embodies China's grand narrative of regional trade, encounters, and exchanges. A Muslim eunuch who led seven fleets across South Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, and West Africa between 1405 and 1433 during the Ming Dynasty, Zheng He is widely celebrated as a peace envoy both in China and by overseas Chinese living in Malaysia, Indonesia, and elsewhere. In addition to the museums, mosques and artifacts now appearing in the region to mark his voyages, China has given millions of dollars to Sri Lanka and Kenya to support the search for the remains of Zheng He's fleet. Both countries are key nodes in the modern Belt and Road infrastructure network, with China financing the construction of deep-water ports in Colombo and Hambantota in Sri Lanka and in Lamu in Kenya. Source: Tim Winter Goals of the One Belt One Road Initiative The One Belt, One Road Initiative consists of several economic and some non-economic elements. The initiative is expected to promote five main objectives which are: “policy coordination, facility connectivity, barrier-free trade, financial integration and people-to-people ties”. Among the five objectives, “facilities” (infrastructure) are perhaps the most significant as they provide the means necessary to achieve many of the other objectives mentioned above. The most frequently mentioned economic element is China's commitment to invest heavily in a wide variety of infrastructure projects in order to strengthen economic capacity and "connectivity" between nations within the One Belt, OneRoad and with the western regions of China [4] . For example, there are several mechanisms designed wholly or partly to support such infrastructure development, including the Silk Road Fund and the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). More generally, from the perspective of China's overall development policies, the One Belt, One Road concept is seen by many Chinese media as an important element of the economic reform process. Shortly after it was announced, the initiative was explicitly linked to Chinese reforms in a decision of the 18th CPC Conference in November 2013. The decision stated that China would “establish development-oriented financial institutions, accelerate the construction of infrastructure linking China with neighboring countries and regions, and work hard to build a Silk Road Economic Belt and a Maritime Silk Road, so as to form a new model of all-round opening up.”[5] In this official document of the Chinese government, it was also stated that “Central Asian, Russian, South Asian and Southeast Asian countries will be given priority. . . while the countries of the Middle East and East Africa are at the crossroads” connecting Asian countries with European ones. Another important feature of the One Belt, One Road initiative is that it is designed to be as open and inclusive as possible, apparently carrying few or no requirements or restrictions, and to exist in cooperation with, and not against, other development initiatives international. In emphasizing the open and cooperative nature of the One Belt, One Road initiative, many Chinese media use the metaphor of a “symphony,” involving the participation of many countries, and not a “lone” effort by China alone. Strategic Objectives of the BIS However, the initiative has been described as a “response” to the new geopolitical situation marked by the “rebalance of the United States towards Asia”, the accelerated “steps towards normalization” of Japan, the rapid economic growth of 'India and the growing concerns towards a stronger system. China among the "Asian neighboring countries" of China. From this geopolitical perspective, the One Belt, One Road initiative can be seen as a new type of “strategy” designed to support the broader effort announced by Xi Jinping to strengthen Beijing's periphery diplomacy and create a “new type of relations between major countries, Both are based on intense cooperation and a zero-sum (i.e. “win-win”) approach to international politics and economics. Since the rise of China, most countries in the Asia-Pacific region have followed the option of trying to integrate China into existing and new regional and global institutions such as RCEP or ASEAN plus. Under the Trump administration, the United States has explicitly rebalanced its international stance towards Asia and China, returning to a bilateral approach in both diplomatic and economic policies. In early 2017, shortly after President Trump took office, the United States declared its withdrawal from the TPP (Transpacific Partnership), which had been a foreign policy priority of the Obama administration to strengthen U.S. leadership in the Asia-Pacific area. Trump's bilateral approach to foreign relations is expected to lead to a decrease in US influence in Asia, for the ASEAN-China leader RCEP, and the One Belt One Road initiative launched by China seemed to declare a new era of globalization, without the participation of the United States. . o China has established a series of institutions: the New Development Bank, or BRICS Bank; the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank; the Silk Road Fund; and a reorganized Chinese Development Bank which,.