Inside China’s Bold Plan to Reshape the World: Are You Ready?
When we think of China, we often associate it with manufacturing and cheap imported goods. However, China has come a long way from being a humble agricultural country to becoming one of the biggest manufacturing hubs in the world. Today, it boasts one of the fastest-growing economies and has almost surpassed every other country except for the United States in terms of GDP.
Now, China is fiercely determined to overtake the US and become the top country in every aspect. Their goal is to dethrone the US from its kingly status and establish itself as the leader of the world. Despite the challenges, China is leaving no stone unturned to achieve this objective.
Discover China’s biggest move yet towards achieving its goal:
THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE ( THE NEW SILK ROAD):
We might wonder why China needs the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) beyond simply competing with the United States. However, to explain the BRI solely as a means of competition would be a mistake.
What are some of the main issues China faces as of today:
- Sea routes connecting to the mainland : China is located in the heart of Asia, with a lengthy coastline to the east. However, using this route for trade is inefficient and expensive. So China needs to depend on the other route which is the Maritime Silk Route explained below:
- As we can see in the above image most trade from Europe,Middle East and Africa to China passes comes from The GULF OF ADEN and Strait of Malacca .United States and India have the potential to choke China’s oil trade by using their relationships with Malaysia and Singapore to block the Strait. This would result in a devastating 60% loss of China’s oil trade.
2. The other issues are:
- Stronghold of US Navy in Asia : With 800 Navy bases around the world, the United States has the ability to easily disrupt China’s economy through its sea routes.
- China has weak diplomatic relations with many countries due to Human rights abuse, Trade and Territorial disputes, intellectual property theft etc.
How CHINA IS to cover these vulnerabilities with BRI :
To reduce their reliance on the Strait of Malacca and gain control of the Gulf of Aden, China has implemented two strategies:
- Firstly they have leased ports in Pakistan and SRI Lanka using their Debt trap strategy ( I will be explaining about this DEBT Trap method in another article).
One examples is The Gwadar port in Pakistan.
- Then they started infrastructural projects to connect these port to inland China using pipelines , highways and Railway tracks. This way they can eliminate the use of Strait Of Mala.
- China has also heavily invested in Djibouti, an African nation located close to the Gulf of Aden, and has even constructed a navy base there.
ALL the above and many more such projects come under the BRI:
Now let me describe BRI as I have given some context and need for it:
It is China’s infrastructural plan to connect countries to fill the gap in the world economy and helping in supporting development.
Why is BRI such a huge deal?
BRI is an ambitious infrastructural project aimed at connecting countries through a network of ports, railways, and highways. This project is not just about promoting faster and more efficient trade, but it also aims to foster diplomatic relations and promote unity among nations, with China as a leading beneficiary.
Then a natural question comes to our mind that how much will this cost China. According to the the estimates it is going to cost around $1 Trillion-$8Trillion Dollars.
How much time will it take to finish it ?
China started this project in 2013 and aims to finish it till 2035.
While the Belt and Road Initiative is an ambitious project, it’s important to acknowledge the obstacles it faces and the opposition it has garnered. In the next article, we’ll explore the challenges that the BRI must overcome and the reasons why many people are opposed to it.
Thank you for reading till here. It would really encourage me to write more if you considered liking the article. :)
If you want to learn more about the Belt and Road Initiative and the challenges it faces, we’ve provided some links and PDFs below. These resources can help you gain a better understanding of the project’s objectives, the countries involved, and the potential risks and benefits. Keep reading to access these resources and deepen your knowledge of the Belt and Road Initiative:
- How China is TRAPPING INDIA using Pakistan & Sri Lanka? :Geopolitics Case study (China’s Trade plan) — YouTube
- The World, Built by China — The New York Times
- https://www.oecd.org/finance/Chinas-Belt-and-Road-Initiative-in-the-global-trade-investment-and-finance-landscape.pdf
- https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/the-21st-century-maritime-silk-road.pdf
Keep reading and learning❤
