The 21st Century Silk Road: China’s Belt and Road Initiative David Bachman
Henry M. Jackson Professor of International Studies
Jackson School of International Studies
University of Washington China’s Belt and Road Initiative marks a major expansion in China’s growing world in international affairs. It now includes land and maritime silk roads, an arctic silk road and a digital silk road. Much of the developed world sees the Belt and Road as a Chinese strategy and power play, leading to debt traps and Chinese imperialism. But China’s motives are multiple and while there are indeed significant downsides to the Belt and Road, it is filling a number of global needs and national aspirations of the countries China works with. David Bachman is Professor of Political Science and former Chair of the China Studies Program at the University of Washington. |