Critical Reflections on China's Belt & Road Initiative (eBook)

Acknowledgements 5
Contents 7
Notes on Contributors 10
Chapter 1: Critical Perspectives from Outside China on the Belt and Road Initiative: An Introduction 14
Normative Concerns and the Shadow of Geopolitical Censorship 17
Critical Geopolitics 20
The Rest of Asia: Satellites, Free Riders or Equal Partners? 22
Imagining the Silk Roads Through Philosophy and History 25
Critical Geographies on the Road 26
Critical Political Economy on the Road 28
Critical National Perspectives 30
References 32
Part I: Imagining the Silk Roads Through Philosophy and History 34
Chapter 2: Squaring the Circle: China’s “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI) and the Ancient Silk Roads 35
Introduction 35
Reconciling Opposites 37
Yin/Yang’s Non-duality with Duality 37
The Five-Rank Protocol 39
Integrating Silk Road-yin with BRI-yang 39
Ranks 1 and 2: Recognizing “Relative [yin] within Absolute [yang]” and “Absolute [yang] within Relative [yin]” 39
Rank 3: “Coming [yin] from within the Absolute [yang]” 40
Rank 4: “Arriving at Mutual Integration” 42
Rank 5: “Unity Attained” 44
Non-duality with Duality 44
Historical Record 44
Asian Capitalisms 1.0–5.0 45
Non-Interbeing in World Politics 46
Conclusion 48
References 49
Chapter 3: Mercantile Harmony: The Ancient Silk Roads as Intercultural Meeting Points Amongst Monks, Pilgrims and Merchants 53
The Spirit of Sacrifice as Place Marker: The Travels of Buddhism 59
Toleration, Order and Neo-Christian Virtue 61
Islam, Hospitality and Other Good Deeds 65
Searching for the Ideal Global Port City 69
Conclusion: A Silk Road Ecumenism? 75
References 76
Part II: Critical Geographies on the Road 78
Chapter 4: The Belt and Road and the World: Why China’s “One Belt, One Road” Initiative Is a Dilemma for Everyone 79
Introduction 79
Dilemma 1: China and the BRI 80
What Is the BRI About? 82
What Does the BRI Mean for China? 82
So Why Is BRI a Dilemma for China? 83
Dilemma 2: The World and the BRI 84
Dilemma 3: Asia and the BRI 85
Dilemma 4: Vietnam and the BRI 87
Potential Benefits 87
Political Risks 87
Conclusion 88
References 88
Chapter 5: Infrastructure Construction as Empire Consolidation in Chinese History 90
Grand Projects of Connectivity in Chinese History 91
Connections Among the Mountain Peaks: The Great Wall 91
Linking among Rivers and Canals 92
Connections with the Seaports and Deserts: The Silk Roads 93
Connectivity in the BRI 93
Precedents Before The Belt and the Road Initiative 95
Qin Shihuang-Meng Tian: The “close connection” among the Pre-existing Forts and Linking them into the Great Wall 95
Zhang Qian and Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty Who Connected West Asia and China 95
Father and Son of Sui Dynasty: Emperors Wen and Yang Build the Grand Canal Connecting the River System and Canals and with the Great Plains of China 96
Genghis Khan and Kubla?? Khan as Builders of China-Europe Land Routes 96
Zheng He and Zhu Di, Who Connected China-Southeast Asia, South Asia, Europe, and Africa 96
The Dual Leadership Connecting the Belt and the Road in the 2000s 97
Deng Xiaoping: Who “Opened” and “Connected” China with the Whole World 97
Xi Jinping: Li Keqiang: The Conceptual Design Person and the Implementer of Connecting Ideas 97
Xi Jinping: The Connecting Character and the Soul of the Belt and Road Initiative 98
Conclusion: An Overview of the BRI’s Historic Significance 99
The Role of Connectivity: Reviving China and Maintaining China’s Global Leadership 99
The Origin of Connectivity Redux: From Obsession and Fear of Separation and Schizophrenia 100
References 102
Chapter 6: Rail Developments Under the BRI 103
Introduction 103
The Rail Outlook in China’s Neighbourhood 104
Northern Approach: Mongolia 106
Central Asia 108
South Asia 112
Southeast Asia 115
Conclusion: China’s Rail Impacts Abroad as a Mixed Picture 118
References 120
Part III: Critical Political Economy on the Road 131
Chapter 7: The Belt and Road Initiative and China’s Relations with Iran and Saudi Arabia: A Delicate Balancing Act 132
China’s Rise and Its Expanding Influence 132
China-Iran Relations 133
China-Saudi Relations 136
Belt and Road Initiative and China’s Expanding Ties with Iran and Saudi Arabia 138
China’s Balancing Act 141
Conclusion 143
References 144
Chapter 8: Australia and China’s Belt and Road Initiative: Economic Opportunities and Geo-Strategic Concerns 146
Introduction 146
Part 1: Overview of Australia-China Relations 147
Part 2: China’s BRI: Opportunities for Cooperation 148
Part 3: Australia’s Domestic Debate Over Joining the BRI 153
Part 4: Geo-strategic Challenges to Cooperation 155
Part 5: Conclusion 159
References 160
Chapter 9: Legal Challenges to the Belt and Road Initiative 166
Introduction 166
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and International Human Rights Law 167
BRI and International Environmental Law 170
BRI and the Prospects of Dispute Settlement 173
BRI and Transparency 177
Conclusion 178
References 179
Cases 179
Chapter 10: Is the Economic Hegemony Moving From the United States to China?: A Historical Perspective 182
Introduction 182
Methodology 183
What Is OBOR? 184
The Changing Role of Governments to Support and Promote Economic Growth 186
The Age of Imperialism and the Role of the British Financial System 187
The Features of American Hegemony and Increasing Economic Competition 188
From Economic Backwardness to Economically Advanced Country 189
Conclusion 192
References 193
Chapter 11: China’s Belt and Road Initiative: China’s Motivations and Its Impacts On Developing Countries 196
Introduction 196
The BRI and China’s Motivations 197
The BRI and Its Impact on Developing Countries 200
Benefits for Developing Countries 201
Risks from the Belt and Road Initiative for Developing Countries 203
Conclusion 205
References 205
Part IV: Critical National Perspectives 207
Chapter 12: US Attitudes and Reactions Towards China’s “Belt and Road” Initiative 208
About the Belt and Road Initiative 209
Differences in US Attitudes and Responses to the BRI 212
Attitudes and Reactions of the US Federal Government 213
Attitudes and Reactions of Individual US Officials 215
Attitudes and Reactions of State Governments and the American Business Community 216
Attitudes and Reactions of American Political Observers and Scholars 219
Concluding Remarks 221
References 223
Chapter 13: China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): Challenges and Opportunities for Vietnam 227
Overview of the BRI 227
Vietnam’s Perspective 228
Opportunities for Vietnam 230
Challenges for Vietnam 233
Conclusion 236
References 236
Chapter 14: Conclusion 238
Empire 240
Development 242
Intra-Asian Dialogue on International and Intersocietal Relations 243
References 244
Index 245