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Thank you for tuning into this
presentation on China's 'Belt and
Road' initiative,
a new era of global economic leadership.
My name is Frances Schortgen an and
I'm presently an associate professor and
chair of the Department of Political
Science and International Studies
at the University of Mount Union in
Alliance, Ohio in the United States.
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In this presentation I aim not so
much to provide a definitive answer to
the question of whether or
not China's 'Belt and
Road Initiative' (which I shall refer to
from here on out simply as the BRI) is
ushering in a new era of global economic
leadership, as to offer a broad contextual
frame of reference that is useful for
a more concrete analysis down the road.
To do so, I will proceed as follows: I
will open with an intriguing question,
is the BRI,
when viewed in comparative perspective,
possibly the project of the century?
If so, what might add imply economically,
politically, and strategically?
Building on that we will then shift
into a brief historical overview
of the shifting dynamics
of global wealth and power.
The trends outlined herein and supported
by a diverse range of studies help us
to better contextualize the nature,
scope, and importance of the BRI.
To fully appreciate the significance
of the BRI however,
it is also important to frame it
in the context of China's rise,
which will constitute the third
aspect of this presentation.
Next, we will further expand
the contextualization of BRI launch with
a brief reference to the Trans-Pacific
Partnership, before proceeding with
a more focused evaluation of
the underlying motivations of BRI.
In other words, should it be viewed as
an exclusively geoeconomic initiative,
or does China intend to use it as
a vehicle to pursue broader geopolitical
and/or geostrategic goals?
Finally, we shall conclude with a few
observations and thoughts about China's
overall geoeconomic vision and how and to
what extent the BRI fits into that vision.
