Kubanychbek Taabaldiev, Director General, Kabar News Agency，Kyrgyzstan

Speech at BRSN in Beijing on April 25, 2019

Let me express my gratitude to the leadership of the Xinhua News Agency for the kind invitation to take part in such a representative forum devoted to topical issues of Chinese policy. The participation of representatives of many countries along the Great Silk Road indicates that there is widespread interest in the theme of the Forum in other countries that have close relations with China. China’s successes over the past few decades are indisputable. Having the opportunity to travel around many parts of China, I personally saw that the course chosen by the country's leadership to build a new China, which pays special attention to both the development of the state and the well-being of its entire population, I was convinced with own eyes that it was a huge success. I would say - the Chinese dream began to come true. Striking changes in the general infrastructure, especially in the country's transport infrastructure, are striking. Virtually all of China is on the move. And this applies not only to travel within the country, but also outside the country.

China's initiative to upgrade the Great Silk Road from China to the west in modern conditions remains relevant and continues to attract the attention of the whole world.

At present, China has already achieved remarkable success in the construction of high-speed railways for passengers in the country. Domestic trade is growing rapidly, contributing to the growth of the country's economy, whose potential is also growing rapidly. And the development of the economic power of China presents new conditions for further development in the delivery of both passengers and goods from China to the foreign market. And in this regard, China’s initiative to create an “Economic Belt” along the Silk Road is becoming increasingly relevant. Virtually all of China’s neighbors understand the benefits of enhancing transport links with a neighbor. Including in the countries of Central Asia.

In my opinion, for the time that has passed since the adoption of the “One Belt - One Way” concept, quite a lot of large-scale projects have been implemented that have attracted the attention of the world community. But at the same time, it should be said that a huge part of these projects was implemented inside China, which leads to even greater development of the country, and noticeably breaking away from almost all countries along the Silk Road, including Russia. At the same time, as I understand it, the One Belt and One Road initiative is aimed at expanding China’s cultural and economic ties with countries along the way, and the initial initiative was aimed at developing infrastructure, including transport and communication, projects in countries along the way.

Unfortunately, the expected results outside of China are still little known. On the contrary, financial and technical assistance and investments of China in a number of countries are evaluated rather negatively. There are such forces that believe that China in a number of regions, including Central Asia (Tajikistan), has practically increased its influence on the ground with the help of loans provided. And since there are countries that still continue to be in a difficult financial situation, the return of loan funds is complicated due to repayment time and a weak economy.

Meanwhile, China, unlike the others, actually makes a lot of positive contributions to the development of third world countries. Understanding people realize this contribution and give them their due. However, a little-informed population in such countries, including Central Asian, perceives the presence of China in their country as a quiet, silent and serious expansion. As a result, the image of modern China is lost, which, as far as I understand, does not intend to make any country subordinate to itself. In the present circumstances it is not possible. However, in the society of many countries along the Way, a negative attitude towards China is maturing, and this opinion needs to be changed. And there is no need to change it in the higher circles who understand the situation adequately, but among the public. Especially among the advanced and mobile young generation, able to quickly influence on public opinion.

This is currently a difficult, and at the same time completely solvable problem. And it must be solved, and the sooner it is resolved, will be better both for China itself and for countries along the way. It is necessary to develop a new information policy of China adapted for modern technologies for countries along the Path. Information influence has always been an effective method of changing people's attitudes.

It is necessary to strengthen advocacy, perhaps even ideological work among the population outside China about the policies and objectives of the country's leadership.

There are two complementary features:

- Create a unified information center in Beijing to monitor the situation in other countries in order to assess the degree of need to respond to events in them related to China.

- Create regional Information Centers of the One-Belt-One Way Initiative along the Path, and first of all in Central Asia, through which to work to clarify the goals, objectives and general policies of Beijing in such open countries as Kyrgyzstan.

It seems to me that only through such an active way of extensively informing the local population about the “One Belt - One Way” policy through local media and social networks, you can convey the public opinion of Beijing and change its current opinion about China’s policy.

In conclusion, I would like to say that the rapid implementation of this project is beneficial not only to the countries of Central Asia and China, but also to other countries, since the economic power of China already has a significant impact on the development of the whole world. I hope that within the framework of China’s new initiatives, the implementation of such regional projects will contribute to the development of not only trade and economic relations between our countries, but also the development of cultural, humanitarian and human relations.

DISCLAIMER 

The views expressed in this article are entirely those of the author(s) own, and not those of the Belt and Road Studies Network (BRSN).