21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative

SUN: Recently, there have been many reports about China’s initiative of 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Can you give us some detailed introduction about this initiative?

Chinese Embassy: In ancient time, Silk Road was a trading route that connects the East and the West, and such a route goes both through the Eurasia continent and across the Pacific and Indian Ocean. Although it is called Silk Road as huge quantities of silk was transported and traded via this route, it also enhanced the exchanges of many other goods, people and culture among countries on the Silk Road.

In order to revive the ancient Silk Road and bring more benefits to the relevant countries and peoples, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed in 2013 that China and countries along the ancient Silk Road would build together the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road ("the Belt and Road Initiative" for short).

Such an initiative draws inspiration both from history and from latest developments in the 21st century. The aim is to inject strong impetus in enhancing political mutual trust, deepening economic cooperation, and promoting cultural as well as people-to-people exchanges among relevant countries through joint cooperation, common development and regional integration. All countries along the Silk Road are welcome to plan, develop and benefit together from "the Belt and Road Initiative".

Such an initiative will focus mainly on Asian countries and prioritize connectivity development efforts in Asia; will establish a framework for Asian connectivity on the basis of land economic corridor and maritime economic cooperation; will achieve breakthroughs in transportation infrastructure as an early harvest for Asian connectivity; and will consolidate public support for Asian connectivity through people-to-people exchanges.

Since the initiative was first raised, many countries have actively supported and engaged themselves in the development of the Silk Road Economic Belt or the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road or both.

Just a few weeks ago, a total of 21 Asian countries including China, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, Singapore, Malaysia etc. inked a MoU on the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) with an expected initial subscribed capital of 50 billion U.S. dollars, aiming to finance and facilitate infrastructure constructions for Asian countries along the "Belt and Road".

Just a few days ago, the APEC CEO Summit and the Dialogue on Strengthening Connectivity Partnership were held in Beijing. President Xi Jinping announced during the Summit and the Dialogue that China will contribute 40 billion U.S. dollars to set up a Silk Road Fund to provide investment and financial support to carry out infrastructure, resources, industrial and financial cooperation and other projects related to connectivity for countries along the "Belt and Road".

In short, the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road aim at promoting the common development and connectivity among all countries along the road, and enhance the benefits of all peoples in these countries.

SUN: Who can join the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road?

Chinese Embassy: The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road is an open and inclusive initiative of economic cooperation. It is neither an entity nor limited to any specific country. Any country interested is welcome to join. With more support from other countries and wider coverage across the region, it has become an initiative not for one country but for all countries involved who are joint advocators, builders and beneficiaries of the initiative.

Up until today, most of the ASEAN countries and many South Asian countries including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and the Maldives have welcomed and supported the initiative and are working together closely with each other for economic and social advancement as well as for the welfare of their peoples. The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road has always been and will still be open to all countries along the road.

SUN: How is South Asia involved in the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiative?

Chinese Embassy: South Asia including Maldives has been traditionally an important part of the Silk Road. As President Xi Jinping pointed out in a speech during his recent visit to India, China wants to live in harmony with all countries in South Asia and contribute its share to the development of the region, and China also hopes that, propelled by the two "wings" of the "Belt" and the "Road", the Chinese economy will take off together with those of South Asian countries.

As promised by President Xi Jiping in the same speech, within the next five years, China will work with South Asian countries to increase the bilateral trade to US$150 billion and its investment in South Asia to US$30 billion and provide US$20 billion in concessional facilities to the region. China will also expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges with South Asia, by offering 10,000 scholarships, training opportunities for 5,000 people and an exchange and training program for 5,000 youth, and training 5,000 Chinese language teachers for South Asia also within the next five years. China will work with South Asian countries to implement the China-South Asia Partnership Initiative for Science and Technology, give full play to the role of China-South Asia Expo, and build new platforms for mutually beneficial cooperation. In short, huge cooperation opportunities are in place for China and South Asian countries under the initiative of Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

SUN: What benefits will the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiative bring to the Maldives?

Chinese Embassy: The ancient Silk Road had linked China and Maldives for centuries. The famous Chinese navigator Zheng He has led ships to visit the Maldives twice in early 15th century and Maldivian Sultans also sent several delegations to China during the same time. Even today, there are numerous Chinese ancient porcelain and coins on display at the National Museum of Maldives, serving as a strong testament to the historical connections between China and Maldives via the ancient Maritime Silk Road.

In the 21st century, as our relations are deepening and exchanges expanding, it is very natural for China and the Maldives to join again in the renewed effort to build the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road together. During President Yameen’s visit to China in August and President Xi Jinping’s visit to Maldives in September, both sides have announced their commitment to this initiative, with various important documents of cooperation signed between China and Maldives including the Agreement on Establishing the Joint Committee on Trade and Economic Cooperation (JCTEC), the MoU on Foreign Ministries cooperation, the Mou on promoting Male’-Hulhule’ Bridge project construction, and the MoU on health cooperation etc.

China recognizes and welcomes with appreciation the active role of the Maldives in jointly building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. We believe that with the initialing of the Silk Road Fund, with the coming establishment of AIIB under the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road scheme, and with the first meeting of China-Maldives JCTEC to be held soon, more trade and investment opportunities will be brought to Maldives from China, more people to people exchanges can be conducted between the two countries, more cooperation will be carried out in areas like tourism, culture, science, education, health and social progress.

Looking back to the history, China and Maldives have been traditional partners on the ancient Silk Road. Marching towards the future, China and Maldives will join hands again in building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road to link our two countries, economies, and peoples closer.