On Point: China’s Belt and Road Initiative, Camouflaged in Silk

Think of it as a revived Silk Road, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in 2013 when he announced China would proudly sponsor a multi-decade international commercial and infrastructure development project — notionally running from China through Central Asia and connecting to points beyond. Yes, a benign Silk Road where all prosper. The project would have a maritime development component as well.

India, however, was immediately suspicious. China and India are rival powers, militarily and economically. They have unresolved territorial disputes in the Himalayas that occasionally involve gunfire between their armies.

Largest Chinese Naval Drill “In 600 Years” Begins: Live-Fire Exercise In Taiwan Strait

Lets not forget this quote, which can also be found on the quotes page:

“The central committee believes, as long as we resolve the United States problem at one blow, our domestic problems will all be readily solved. Therefore, our military battle preparation appears to aim at Taiwan, but in fact is aimed at the United States, and the preparation is far beyond the scope of attacking aircraft carriers or satellites.”

– Chi Haotian, Minster of Defense and vice-chairman of China’s Central Military Commission

 

 

Last week, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) assembled all of its most advanced warships, aircraft, and nuclear submarines for a massive show of force in the South China Sea. We explained, how the 3-day war drill from April 10 through 13 would be held in the waters south of China’s Hainan Island.

Asia Times estimates some 10,000 People’s Liberation Army airmen, marines and sailors boarded 48 naval warships and 76 aircraft to show their loyalty and devotion to President Xi Jinping, who was greeted on a destroyer “by a resounding chorus of platitudes from soldiers.”

World Leaders Gather in Beijing While the US Sinks into Irrelevancy

The United States is fractured and permanently scarred with very little diplomatic room to maneuver, and as the article states, doesn’t even know it. We’re looking at a new world shaping up within the next 10 years… a new world without the United States having a voice in its affairs. This is an unprecedented new chapter in world history that the old order doesn’t recover from. If you’re an American, get used to second or third-rate living standards and all the problems that come with it.

To add clarification: President Trump has a great chance in saving America from ruin, and let’s hope he will. Where he has almost zero chance is in saving it’s standing in the world. An alternative world structure has already been built and members are being filtered in. The ‘on button’ is waiting to be pushed. All that needs to happen is an event, such as global economic collapse, that sets America back and simultaneously provides the new world structure a window of opportunity to spring into first place.

 

 

While vaudevillian comedy-like shouting matches broke out in the West Wing of the White House between President Donald Trump and his senior advisers and between the White House press secretary and various presidential aides, world leaders gathered in Beijing to discuss the creation of modern-day land and maritime «silk roads» to improve the economic conditions of nations around the world. Nothing more could have illustrated the massive divide between the concerns of many of the nations of the world and those of the United States, which is rapidly descending into second-rate power status, along with its NATO allies Britain, France, and Germany.

As U.S. balks at rebuilding infrastructure, China advances ‘Silk Road Economic Belt’ strategy to dominate Eurasia, Africa

 

On May 14-15, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) hosted the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. The Beijing meeting attracted 29 heads of state (including Russian President Vladimir Putin) and representatives of 130 other countries (including the U.S.), plus the leaders of 70 international organizations, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

Chinese President Xi Jinping gave the keynote address heralding the “One Belt, One Road” initiative (BRI) as a top priority. And well it should be, given that its goal is nothing less than to establish Chinese preeminence (even hegemony) over Eurasia and Africa.

China Establishes Its Silk Road in Greece by Purchasing the Port of Piraeus

 

Opening a gateway to Europe is a ‘once-in-a-thousand-year opportunity’ for China.

In October 2009, government-owned China Ocean Shipping Company (cosco) took over one of two piers in the Port of Piraeus from its Greek authorities. Since then, cosco worked to increase the annual container volume nearly 10-fold. Finally, after waiting seven years, Beijing’s One Belt, One Road (obor) initiative took a step further when cosco purchased full control of the Port of Piraeus on April 8.

Beijing’s Belt and Road means overseas military bases

China’s ninth defense white paper published on May 26 openly declared that overseas military bases will be necessary to carry out the New Economic Silk Road Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (“Belt and Road”) initiatives, according to Chinese political analyst Mao Yulin in an article for Duowei News, a media outlet operated by overseas Chinese.

Belt and Road may establish China as genuine superpower

Following a trip to Kazakhstan, Belarus and Russia in early May, President Xi Jinping of China received the visiting Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi. Beijing is stepping up efforts to push its “Belt and Road” initiatives, as these countries are all key players in China’s Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road plans and have signed economic cooperation deals involving huge sums.

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Through its Silk Road Fund and the planned Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), China has also established a mechanism similar to the Marshall Plan and the Bretton Woods system that helped the United States build a dominant position after World War II.

China sets up “largest” gold fund for nations along Silk Road

BEIJING: China, the world’s biggest gold producer, has set up a gold sector fund involving countries along the ancient Silk Road which is expected to raise $16.1 billion.

The fund, led by Shanghai Gold Exchange (SGE), is expected to raise an estimated 100 billion yuan ($16.1 billion) in three phases, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. It is said to be the “largest fund” set up by China.

AIIB a means for China to achieve ‘Belt and Road’

China’s Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) initiative is a means to achieve its goal of bolstering regional integration and connectivity through its “Belt and Road” strategy, Lu Chung-ta, director of investments and marketing at Shin Kong Investment Trust Co.

The establishment of the AIIB is widely regarded as an effort by China to create an international financial institution that rivals the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the Asia Development Bank and curb the US’s leading position in global financial decision-making bodies in the post-World War II era.

Silk Road initiatives enter new phase: think tank

China’s initiatives on building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, popularly known as the Belt and Road Initiatives, have entered a more practical phase of fulfillment, a leading Chinese think tank has said.

Speaking at an international conference held recently in Istanbul, Turkey, Li Wei, president of China’s official think tank Development Research Center of the State Council, said the regional development initiatives brought up by China have evolved from a mere roadmap to cooperation at practical levels.

“The initiatives are evolving from proposals into actions, the blueprint is becoming reality and the effort of communication over the ideas is shifting to practical cooperation,” said Li.

Once stable, Iraq will look to China for help rebuilding

“Although Iraq is still a fragmented country, sooner or later, it will need to rebuild infrastructure, including roads, hospitals, schools, ports, railway lines, and so on,” said Samir Sumaida’ie, who served as Iraqi ambassador to the US from 2006 to 2012, in an interview with Xinhua this week in Beijing.

“China will have the opportunity to play a big role when Iraq is able to welcome foreign contributions,” said Sumaida’ie, who is also an “old China hand,” having spent a lot of time in the country since 1991.