Zahari  Zahariev, President, the Bulgaria National Association for the Belt and Road

Speech at BRSN in Beijing on April 25, 2019

A specific aspect of the antidogmatic approach to the new realities of civilizational transition,  is the view that "global problems require global solutions." This, however, automatically brings the search for the successful development of adequate managerial  approaches away from the spheres of traditional domestic policy, directing them to the field of geopolitical relationships. This is interconnected with the increasingly powerful presence of the "Chinese factor" in world politics.

A specific manifestation of this complex interdependence is the initiative of "One Belt, One Road".  

At the heart of the project is the view that the advantages of the socialist system create opportunities that are untenable for the liberal model in mobilizing public forces for unprecedented on their scale major projects. According to the president of China Xi Jinping, the key to success are innovations. "Only those who carry out reforms and  innovations will go forward."

The foundation of the “Belt and Road” is connectivity. Better connectivity in hard and soft infrastructure like transport, energy and telecommunication will boost trade and cultural exchanges along the New Silk Road, injecting positive energy into regional and global socio-economic development, boosting the movement of people, investment, knowledge, technology, and ideas. 

In fact, the synergy of development strategies is imperative for countries to build multilevel mechanisms for policy communication, to explore and expand convergence of interests, to formulate and implement cooperation plans together, and to address swiftly the risks and challenges to such cooperation.

Embracing the concept of common and sustainable development is an inherent requisite for the “Belt and Road” Initiative. In order to achieve multiple, independent, balanced and sustainable development, the “Belt and Road” Initiative emphasizes green and low-carbon development, consideration of environmental protection, innovation in technology, and systems and management in exploring new development horizons.

In their complexity, these principles provide also a real and mutually beneficial basis for the creation of an area of peace and security on the territory of Eurasia. They establish conditions for reciprocally advantageous cooperation between the existing integration unions. 

The project“One Belt, One Road“ goes far beyond the scale of regional and  transcontinental economic cooperation. With good reason we can agree with the view that we have before us “the largest and unique, complex geopolitical project in recent history whose dimensions can change the picture of the 21st century." In this case we are talking about an initiative that combines integrated solutions to the most topical issues, concerning both international economic and financial relations, as well as the new geopolitical map of Eurasia and the world.

Seen globally, the project “One Belt, One Road“ does not contravene the aims of any of the already established organizations. All the more that they, as a rule, are interlinked and mutually complemented.  On the contrary, its purpose is to find a new integrative index between them, in order to counter the dominant hitherto process of geopolitical fragmentation. From this perspective, the implementation of the project will not only contribute to the formation of the still absent global security system, but could also have a healing effect on the existing military conflicts and areas of high military-political tension.

A particular attention in elucidating of this initiative should be paid to the problems of ethno-cultural diversity, of the information society, and thus of the demand for new development paradigms. Therefore, the initiative "One Belt, One Road", which determined the civilizational development, is inherently a complex ideological and political initiative of the PRC to effectively adapt to the new civilization realities of the 21st century. From this perspective, it is also an alternative response of Beijing to US efforts  to redraw the geopolitical and geo-economic map of the world in the spirit of Pax Americana.

The US attitude towards Beijing is becoming more and more purely ideological. Along with the commercial reasons, it is being looked on as the chief strategic rival, and the “One Belt, One Road” Project as an ideological-political platform for forming a new geopolitical center in world politics openly opposed to the philosophy and imperial strategy of Pax Americana.

It is interesting to make a comparison between the Chinese project and the US global projects. All American projects actually place the transnational corporations in commanding  positions against the nation states. It is no coincidence that global business  is lobbying so hard for these agreements. Essentially, by reinforcing their positions, the transnational forces are preparing a new attack on small and medium business, which underlies not only the functioning of the integrated  market economy, but also of the welfare state.

Through this project, essentially, Washington is taking a new step, aimed  not only at preserving the current explosive "status quo" but also at building new division lines to the detriment of peace and democracy. The policy which it follows proves once again that the current era is not a post-communist one, but is definitely  postdemocratic,   that the implementation of  this globalization scenario apart from  serving  the transnational monopolies, validates also an invisible supranational power contrary to  the interests of the nation state. 

The “Belt and Road” Initiative requires the vision and dedication of politicians, the active participation of enterprises, media, and social organizations. An important step in this direction was the founding of the Silk Road Think Tank Association (SRTA) and now the Belt and Road Studies Network (BRSN). This initiative provide an important platform to offer advice on governance and socio-cultural exchanges. Within the SRTA and BRSN framework, think tanks  and many other NGOs conduct discussions and research on the “Belt and Road” Initiative, engage in consultations and make proposals to governments both on coordinating development strategies and policies and on building mutual trust in creating equitable regional growth. 

Within the BRSN framework, the participating members will further boost cultural exchanges, improve the understanding of the “Belt and Road” Initiative while increasing mutual understanding among people of countries along the “Belt and Road”, so as to improve people-to-people relations and to enhance public support.

In our opinion, we should act to increase the role of the non-governmental sector in the realization of the high-humane goals of the “One Belt, One Road” initiative. The focus of public attention should be on the growing military threat and the need to strengthen peace through a more effective system of regional and global security. An important role in this direction could play the Public Diplomacy for Peace in coordinating the efforts of numerous civil initiatives and protest public structures against war, for peace and security.  This idea was presented in the Russian public space as a joint initiative of the Slavyani Foundation with the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudichestvo) and the Russian Association for International Cooperation (RAMS).  

Over the past five years, the “One Belt, One Road” initiative achieved and embodied its meaningful image, many mechanisms were successfully triggered, particularly in the area of trade, transport infrastructure, and large, promising investment projects in different countries. We can assess as  success, for the Chinese side as well as for the different think-tanks and NGOs, the widespread popularization of both the philosophy and the individual aspects of this civilizational initiative. At the same time, we should be sincere in noting that the capabilities of the non-governmental sector and of the civil society in Europe and other regions are not used to their full capabilities. In our view, the need to create a broad international public forum (movement) to support the civilizational aspects of the project has objectively ripened. We see as a successful step in this direction the founding of a Belt and Road Initiative Foundation in Sofia, which could coordinate diverse efforts and achievements of Bulgaria and the neighboring Balkan countries.

At this stage, a clearer differentiation of the different aspects of the “One Belt, One Road” initiative is needed. In this regard, we propose that particular attention be paid to differing in format international forums in the following three directions: 

- lawyers and international law specialists working on the legal aspects of the “One Belt, One Road” initiative

- trade unions - for social and economic aspects

- youths

Particular attention is paid to the problems of peace, equality, security in the regional and global context of the the “One Belt, One Road” project philosophy. There are hundreds of civic initiatives in this direction, especially in Europe and America, who could find their rightful place here. Overcoming these “white spots” will not only increase our authority as a factor of peace, progress and development, but will also contribute to the mobilization of the world's potential in this direction.

A good example in this aspect is the China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Political Parties Dialogue, held in October 2016 in Budapest – a similar cross-party event could be planned. 

It is particularly important to consider also a joint initiative in this direction on the territory of the European Parliament and other EU structural units.

We hope that the Silk Road Dialogue will embrace the principle of flexibility and openness, developing into a vehicle for sharing information, exchanging ideas and pooling wisdom, providing intellectual support and social foundation for the “Belt and Road” Initiative.

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).