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Aasia Khatoon Khattak*
Iram Khalid**
CHINA’S ONE BELT ONE ROAD INITIATIVE:
TOWARDS MUTUAL PEACE & DEVELOPMENT
Abstract:
China’s One Belt One Road Initiative is a global economic
interconnectivity project that connects the countries through seaports,
economic corridors, roads, railways, canals, bridges, gas and oil
pipelines etc. In 2013, the initiative is firstly proposed by China’s
president Xi Jinping. The major objective of the initiative is to build a
peaceful, cooperative and interdependent world for promoting mutual
economic development and social prosperity. The certain western and
Asian countries says that China’s growing economic influence and rise
particularly through the initiative is not peaceful. These countries are
U.S., Japan and India which considers China as a rising threat for their
interests and influence. China is promoting through this initiative a
mutual economic development and social prosperity along with the values
of common peace, cooperation and interdependence. It is empowering the
developing countries of the Asian region by promoting economic
development to them. On Road initiative, China is connecting the entire
Asian region by linking the seaport infrastructures through sea-lanes,
economic corridors and roads and railways network. Under the sidelines
of the initiative, China is financing and constructing various development
projects in each Asian country that have a seaport. These development
projects are the establishment of free-trade economic zones, energy
development projects of gas, oil and electricity, construction projects of
roads, railways and pipelines and many other social development
projects. The paper examines China’s progressive role for mutual
development particularly in Muara Port, Brunei and Sihanoukville Port,
Cambodia.
Keywords: One Belt and One Road Initiative, peace and Development, Muara
Port of Brunei and Sikanoukville Port of Cambodia.
* Aasia Khatoon Khattak , A PhD Scholar, International Relations & Political Science,
International Islamic University Islamabad.
** Iram Khalid, Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Punjab, Lahore
Pakistan.
Journal of Research Society of Pakistan – Vol. 54, No. 1, January-June, 2017
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Introduction
China‟s One Belt and One Road Initiative has been proposed in 2013 by the
President Xi Jinping during his visit to the Central-Asia and the South-East Asia
countries. The initiative is the renovation of Old Silk Route that had been built
during the Han Dynasty in (206BC- 220AD) in order to promote trade of silk and
other economic commodities to other regional markets of the world. In the 21st
Century, China is revitalizing the Old Silk Road to get back the old glory of
splendor past when it was an economic power of the Asian region. It desires to
achieve the dream‟ that has been set by its national leader Deng Xiaoping in 1970s
to establish China as one the most developed and industrial country of the world. It
wants to establish economic development to build a developed, prosperous and
peaceful Chinese society. The main objective of One Belt and One Road Initiative
is to expand trade and economic market of China throughout the rest of the world
in order to build a peaceful prosperous Chinese society and to fulfill the growing
energy needs of the country. China is promoting through this initiative the values
of mutual peace, cooperation, development, trust, respect, and interdependence
among the countries and regions by building connectivity through seaports,
economic corridors, roads, railways, and pipelines etc. It has laid the foundation of
One Belt and One Road initiative on the principles of mutual peace and
cooperation, win-win benefits, mutual respect to each other sovereignty and
territorial integrity and mutual non-interference on each other political and
sovereign matters.
The significance of China‟s active role through One Belt and One Road initiative
in the Asian region for peace and development cannot be ignored. China is
connecting the Asian region includes Brunei, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia,
Bangladesh, Sri-Lanka, Nepal, Maldives, India, Pakistan and Sudan on One Road
Initiative through seaports, economic corridors and gas and oil pipelines etc. China
under the sidelines of the initiative is financing and constructing free-trade
economic zones and many energy development projects in these countries. Its
growing economic developments and influence in these countries of Asia,
resultantly promoting mutual peace, development, cooperation and
interdependence among the countries. It is promoting economic development to
the poor and developing countries of Asia and empowering them by building their
economies developed. Its growing economic influence in the region is posing a
great security threat for the influence and interests of U.S., Japan and India. The
policy makers and scholars of these countries say that China is a growing threat
for their sovereignty and to the world peace. In response, China titling these claims
as propaganda against its peaceful rise particularly through One Belt and One
Road Initiative. The main objective of the initiative is to establish China as a
developed, prosperous and peaceful society. In result, it is promoting development
and prosperity to the rest of the world. It is building a peaceful world of mutual
cooperation, interdependence and integration. It is establishing a multipolar world
by promoting development to other countries. It is engaging the countries in
mutual cooperation and interdependence. It is building new trends of harmony and
peace.
China’s One Belt One Road Initiative: Towards Mutual Peace & Development
3
To bring out that One Belt and One Road Initiative is promoting development,
peace and progress and it is not for seeking hegemony, the paper describes by
using the analytical-descriptive approach, the China‟s policy aims, ambitions and
objectives on the entire One Road Initiative and by particularly focusing on the
Muara Port of Brunei and Sikanoukville Port of Cambodia. China is building new
world of peace and cooperation with new trends of interdependence and
integration. In conclusion, the paper elaborates the implications of the initiative on
peace of Asian region and of the world.
China’s Policy Aims & Ambitions on Maritime Silk Road
China‟s One Belt and One Road Initiative is consisted of two routes or branches;
one is sea route that is known as Maritime Silk Road or One Road Initiative and
the second is a land-route that is known as One Belt Road that connects China‟s
western part with the regions of the Central-Asia, the Middle-East, Africa and
Europe through roads, railway and oil and gas pipelines projects. The Maritime
Silk Road Initiative or One Road route is filled with the consecutive connectivity
of seaports that are located in East-Asia, South-East Asia, South-Asia and Africa.
The connectivity of the seaports begins from the seaports that are located in the
South-China Sea includes Fujian seaport, Xin Gang seaport, Qingdao seaport,
Shanghai seaport, Ningbo seaport and Hong-Kong Seaport of China. These
seaports are getting connectivity on the One Road initiative with other seaports of
the Asian regions. Hong-Kong seaport and Ningbo seaports are the main ports that
provides broader connectivity to the southern part of China with other regional
seaports includes Muara seaport Brunei, Sihanoukville port of Cambodia,
Khaukpyu port of Myanmar, Chittagong port of Bangladesh and Hambantota port
of Sri-Lanka, Maldives port, Gwadar port of Pakistan, and Sudan seaport. It
initiative enters into Mediterranean Sea where it finally connects to Economic belt
at Venice, Italy (Jia, 2015).
The entire structure of the One Belt and One Road Initiative is constructed of
seaports, roads, railways, bridges, canals, gas and oil pipelines, dry-ports, free-
trade economic and industrial zones etc. The initiative is an extensive and broader
economic interconnectivity project that interconnects far-distance regions of Asia,
the Central-Asia, the Middle-East and Europe with each other through seaports,
economic corridors and land-routes. China is promoting economic development
particularly to the developing countries of Asia and African region. It is building a
peaceful world of mutual cooperation and interdependence. It is changing the
current trends of power-influence and disorder with the trends of mutual peace,
integration and economic development. This initiative is open for participation of
states, state actors, non-state actors and individuals (Ministry of Foreign Affairs
China, 2015; China Business Daily, 2015).
In 2015, more than 70 countries and organizations has expressed their support and
willingness to join One Belt and One Road Initiative. Only 34 countries and
organizations has signed agreements with China on development of the initiative.
The broadness of this initiative is increasing rapidly. The countries priorities are
now focusing towards economic development and social prosperity. China‟s plays
a significant role in empowering these countries and in building a multipolar world
of mutual interdependence (Shaohui, 2016).
Journal of Research Society of Pakistan – Vol. 54, No. 1, January-June, 2017
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China is empowering the Asian countries by providing them financial, technical
and technological assistance in the development of heavy infrastructures and other
energy development projects includes seaports, economic corridors, roads,
railways, bridges, gas and oil pipelines, education institutions, industries, and free-
trade economic zones etc. It is establishing these developments in countries
includes Brunei, Cambodia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri-Lanka, Maldives,
India, Pakistan and the rest of the countries of other regions. In result, it is
expanding its trade market along with developing the economies of other
countries. It is integrating the world in global trends of mutual peace and
interdependence. It is establishing a new zone of economic power particularly in
poor and developing countries of Asia. It is reducing the developing gap of North
and South. It is building a balanced world of mutual cooperation (Huaxia, 2015;
China Daily News, 2015).
Under One Belt and One Road Initiative, in 2015 China has established two major
financial institutions in Asian region namely the Asian Infrastructure Investment
Bank (AIIB) and the New Silk Road Fund in order to provide financial assistance
to the countries for the development of infrastructures of seaports and of other
development projects. These institutions are fully operated now. The member
countries are financing these banks by providing funds to it for common
development of the countries. In 2015, China has pledged to give $ 40 billion
dollars as fund to New Silk Road Fund that facilitates the developing countries in
construction of heavy development projects in the rest of the world (Vr, 2015).
In One Belt and One Road Initiative, among the countries the mutual trade, social
development, cooperation and interdependence is increasing. China is promoting
extensive mutual trade, development benefits and cooperation throughout the
regions. It is expanding industrial, trade and technological capacity of the
countries. It has signed agreements with 20 countries on development of
industrialization capacity (Xinhuanet Newspaper, 2016; Xinhuanet News, 2016).
Under the initiative, China‟s trade with other countries has reached to above 1
trillion US dollars. Its direct investment in 49 countries has reached to 15 billion
dollars with annual growth of 18 percent. These countries investment in China has
surpassed to 8.2 billion dollars that constitutes 25 percent.
China has signed agreements with 20 countries to increase the production capacity
of the countries in various fields. It has in joint cooperation with these countries
has set-up 46 overseas economic cooperation zones in 17 countries. Its investment
in these projects has reached to above 14 billion dollars that has created job
opportunities for 60,000 locals (Shaohui, 2016; Huaxia, 2015).
China is moving to establish a free-trade agreement throughout One Belt and One
Road initiative that covers 65 countries across Asia, the Central-Asia, the Middle-
East, Africa and Europe. The initiative covers 4.4 billion population with 4 percent
world GDP. It is promoting free-trade from country to country that integrating and
strengthening the economic development of the rest of the world. China is
expanding its trade volume and foreign investment that in result removing poverty,
unemployment from Chinese society and in other countries and making it peaceful
and prosperous (Kanthadai, 2016).
China’s One Belt One Road Initiative: Towards Mutual Peace & Development
5
China is building a peaceful, cooperative and interdependent world that works
without power influence and discrimination. It has laid foundations of One Belt
and One Road Initiative on five principles of peaceful co-existence includes
mutual respect for each other sovereignty, territorial integrity, mutual non-
aggression, mutual non-interference in each other internal matters, equality,
mutual benefit and peaceful co-existence. The initiative is promoting mutual
benefit, cooperation and interests. It is establishing a peaceful world of mutual
cooperation (English CN, 2015).
Muara port and Guangxi-Brunei Economic Corridor
China has cordial bilateral relations with Brunei. On Maritime Silk Road, Brunei
is significant because of having a Seaport of Muara. Both countries have recently
pledged to connect Muara Seaport with Guangxi province of China through
Qinzhou Seaport of Beijing. Guangxi is located in the South-Central part of China
which is economically backward area comparatively to its South-Eastern part that
has sea access through seaports in South-China Sea. After connecting to Maritime
Silk Road, now this province is becoming a great trade-hub which is currently
connected with 32 maritime countries (Chinadaily.com, 2015; xinhuanet.com,
2015; English.news.cn, 2015). In past (before its connectivity on Maritime Silk
Road) the trade volume of this province was 5.53 billion that is now reached to
50.67 billion yuan (English.news.cn, 2015). Guangxi province is further connected
through roads and railway links to the western part of the country that is
economically remote and backward area of China. Brunei through economic
interconnectivity to Guangxi province will contribute a significant share in the
development of economy of the economically backward areas of Central and
Western China.
China is financing the construction of Guangxi-Brunei economic corridor in
Brunei that will interlink Muara Seaport with the rest of the far-reaching areas of
the Brunei country. The construction of this corridor is under-process. Chinese
construction companies are working on the construction of this project. China is
developing this corridor to make smooth transaction of trade throughout the
Brunei. This corridor will provide more job and business opportunities to the poor
people of Darussalam. It will alleviate the poverty and unemployment problem
there. Besides developing the poor economic and social sectors of Brunei, China
meets an economic market for export-import of production goods. China recently
expanded its cooperation in agricultural and food production sectors. After
Maritime Silk Road connectivity, both countries‟ cooperation will be enhanced
more in fisheries, agricultural and technological sectors. The shipping services of
Brunei will get better and improved.
Besides economic significance, Brunei contains strategic importance for China as
it is situated in the Pacific region where U.S. has military bases in Australia,
Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and has a military partnership with Singapore.
Washington is increasingly enhancing its militarization in the region that mainly
goes against China and it is also establishing its economic influence through
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) of twelve countries. China is not a part of this
partnership.
Journal of Research Society of Pakistan – Vol. 54, No. 1, January-June, 2017
6
China through One Road connectivity with Brunei, desires to create its economic
influence in the pacific to develop a peaceful world. It might in future expands
One Road connectivity to other countries of the region includes Indonesia,
Australia through corridors and seaports projects. Though it seems not possible
along with threatening challenges from U.S., but the world political trends are
changing and now the countries primary priorities are being tilted towards
economic development.
At present, China has cooperative economic, social and military relations with
U.S. which also poses great threatening challenge for its peaceful rise by
militarizing the Asian region under its „Asia to pivot policy‟. It has cooperative
relations with Japan and India along with border issues and regional competition.
China has cooperative economic and social relations even with the countries where
U.S. military bases are established includes Australia, Indonesia etc. Though
China‟s rise has created two mutual trends in the same time among countries that
are cooperation and competition (Chinadaily.com, 2015; xinhuanet.com, 2015;
English.news.cn, 2015; China focus, 2015).
Brunei is a member of Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and of
TPP as well. It has a close cooperative relations with China in fields of economic,
social and military. U.S. is cooperating with Brunei in energy, health, business,
and military sectors. Washington is exerting its influence in ASEAN through
Brunei by urging to promote English language instructions in countries, supports
trade, education opportunities, and people to people connections. Though, China is
moving to establish its economic influence through One Road by bringing the
policy of common prosperity and common development. China is empowering the
Brunei economically and socially by technological, financial and other services
aid. It truly supports the development of a developing country (China foreign
office, 2013; Factsheet, 2015).
Sihanoukville Seaport, Cambodia
On One Road, China and Cambodia have pledged to build an economic
cooperation by connecting Hong-Kong Seaport with Sihanoukville Seaport of
Cambodia. It is a deep water Seaport that is located at Peah Sihanouk province of
Cambodia that is adjacent to the Indian Ocean (Lum, 2013). Cambodia has
constructed this port in cooperation with Japan (pas.gov, 2015). It is one of the
largest seaports of Cambodia that covers 125 hectares area. This port is facilitating
trade transaction of Cambodia with other countries of the world through naval,
container and cruise ships (Sihanoukville.com, 2015). Currently, Inter-
governmental Coordination Committee of China and Cambodia are in close talks
on seaports‟ infrastructure connectivity to find more ways of cooperation and
development (fmprc.gov.cn, 2015).
China and Cambodia relations are based on mutual friendly cooperation that
covers all political, strategic and economic sectors and interests. Currently, Beijing
is playing a significant role in economic development of Cambodia by funding and
constructing roads, railway links, heavy industrial infrastructures, and heavy
hydroelectric power projects. Besides this, its cooperation with Cambodia has
remained in public health sector, irrigation works, and disaster relief and in other
sectors. It is transferring the use of new and advanced technology in building the
China’s One Belt One Road Initiative: Towards Mutual Peace & Development
7
new infrastructure of Cambodia that are facilitating and increasing Cambodia‟s
trade links and trade magnitude. Both states being within ASEAN and on bilateral
bases are in coordination and cooperation on many regional and global issues of
their common interests. China is one of the major foreign investors of Cambodia
(Burgos & Ear, 2010). China, under economic agreement of 2013, has provided
$500 million soft loans and $ 48 million grants to Cambodia for making a smooth
development of its projects (Lum, 2013).
Under Maritime Silk Road connectivity cooperation, China is financing and
constructing many infrastructure and energy development projects in Cambodia
(fmprc.gov.cn, 2015). It is financing and constructing railway and roads network
that begins from Sihanoukville Seaport and connects other areas of Cambodia.
This connectivity will expand the trade throughout Cambodia that resultantly
increases job opportunities for the Cambodian people (pas.gov.kh, 2015). China is
constructing railway link from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City. It is financing
and constructing the roads infrastructures to establish economic connectivity to
towns and far-away other areas. Chinese companies are building highways, dams,
energy projects, railway lines there. China is financing by providing loans and
funds to these projects (Minglong, 2010; Chinadialouge.net, 2013).
China is also constructing high speed 400 km long railway line in $7 billion
dollars in Cambodia. This railway line will run from Cambodia to Laos. It is
constructing the infrastructure of steel mill at Preah Vihear Province of Cambodia.
It is constructing a railway line that connects the Sihanoukville seaport to the
Preah Vihear steel Mill (Chinadialouge.net, 2013). On railway line, eleven
railway stations will be constructed and about 3,192 meter long railway bridge will
be built for constructing more ports. This railway line could be used for multi-
purposes as for supply steel, industrial and agriculture good and for travelling.
This project will give a great boost to Cambodian economy and would provide
extensive job opportunities to people (Mesa & Lewis, 2013). This project is likely
to be completed in 2016. The entire connectivity of seaport to the steel mill will
possibly facilitate Cambodia in trade supply of iron to other parts of country and to
the outside world (Chinadialouge.net, 2013).
China is constructing hydroelectric dam project at Mekong River of Cambodia. It
will overcome unemployment issue in Cambodia (Burgos & Ear, 2010). It has yet
established three dams in Cambodia and few more are under construction. These
constructed dams are now facilitating and transferring electricity to the rural areas
of Cambodia that were deprived from electricity and some were receiving low
electricity power. China is building many irrigation projects in Cambodia. It has
developed first oil refinery in Kampot province of Cambodia (Pant, 2012).
China besides economic development projects, is heavily spending on Cambodia‟s
military. It has signed many cooperation military pacts with Cambodia in order to
develop its military. Under the military agreement of 2012 to 2013, China has
spent about $ 17 million dollars on military training and medical facilities to
Cambodian military. It has provided loans, trucks, helicopters, aircraft, uniforms
and training to the Cambodian Armed Forces (Lum, 2013). China is providing
funds to the human rights development in Cambodia (Chinadialouge.net, 2013).
Journal of Research Society of Pakistan – Vol. 54, No. 1, January-June, 2017
8
On One Road initiative through Sihanoukville Seaport, China meets a market for
selling of its exports. Mutual economic relations would be increased more. Job
opportunities are increased for the Chinese people by developing various
infrastructure and energy projects in Cambodia (Laursen, 2015).
China‟s growing investment and supportive cooperation in Cambodia is
eliminating poverty and unemployment from it (Cambodia) and it is raising the
living standard of its people (Lum, 2013). Cambodia is one of the poorest
countries of the world where one-third population is living on less than one dollar
per day. Thus, China‟s economic development in Cambodia is a great advantage
for the poor people of it (bbc.com, 2015).
China by developing economic, military and social cooperation is increasing its
political and economic influence in Cambodia (Chinadialouge.net, 2013).
Cambodia is strategically significant for China as in future China might establish
connectivity between Sihanoukville seaport to its Kunming city of Yunnan
province or to other cities through corridor similarly as China has made China-
Pakistan economic corridor connectivity to its western part (Lum, 2013).
Cambodia is the South-East Asian ally of China. It is one of China‟s strong friends
that supports Beijing initiatives and policy stances. In July 2012 ASEAN summit,
Cambodia has supported China on South-China Sea dispute but it did remain fail
to create a unified stand over the dispute. China is the largest trading partner, aid-
donor and investor in Cambodia. In 2011, China has invested $ 1.2 billion in
Cambodia that was eight-time larger investment which was pledged by U.S. In
2012, China has granted $500 million loans to it (Higgins, 2012; Washington post,
2013; Marshall & Thul, 2013). China is the largest military aid donor of
Cambodia. In November 2015, both countries get agreed to boost their military
ties. China is assisting Cambodia in military training, in construction of military
academies, in military exchanges and services. China has delivered “man portable
surface to air missile System (MANPADS) to it (Parameswaran, 2015).
Fears & Concerns
At present, China has friendly cooperative relations with the rest of the world even
with the countries that are opposing its rise and considers it as a threat to their
sovereignty and to the world peace. These countries are particularly U.S., Japan
and India that make a common idea that China‟s rise is not peaceful (Borah,
2016). These countries are commonly using the term of “String of Pearls‟ that
means China through this broader economic interconnectivity initiative of One
Belt and One Road is becoming the world‟s most powerful economic power and it
intends to deploy naval and military forces on these seaports that could become a
threat to their sovereignty. In these countries‟ view, China is seeking hegemony
(Baker, 2015).
A Chinese Scholar Hu Shi Sheng has said on String of pearls term “The term
“strategy” with China‟s Seaports is first time used by Pentagon (U.S.) in 1996.
The term is only used by the foreigners and by the westerns. It was also
propagated that China is building seaports to curtail India. But these Seaports are
for commercial purposes. China has a non-alignment policy. The maritime Silk
China’s One Belt One Road Initiative: Towards Mutual Peace & Development
9
Road is connected with each other, not possible for hegemony, but will integrate
and benefit all.”
1
In 2015, China has established its first naval base in Djibouti in order to protect its
trade from piracy attack and to provide security to the seaport infrastructure on
One Road initiative. China‟s talks are continued on deployment of its naval forces
on seaports on the One Road for security of trade and seaports infrastructures in
Indian Ocean and the Strait of Malacca and for the maintenance and refurbishment
of the ships. China‟s government says it is not seeking hegemony by deploying
naval forces on the seaports but in order to establish the smooth function of the
Initiative and safe transaction of trade (Aronson, 2015). It is said by Chinese
scholars that U.S. and its particular ally countries Japan and India are propagating
against China‟s peaceful rise by saying that it is militarizing the Asian region. In
actual facts, China is not building military alliances on other countries territory. It
is not building military alliances to build military bases (Yao, 2015). It is U.S. that
have military bases in the western pacific and in entire Asian region. Its major
military bases are located in Guam, Diego Garcia and Okinawa. In Japan, it has
109 military bases, 89 bases in South-Korea and few bases are located in Thailand
and Philippines. Since from last 70 years, U.S. has been militarizing the Asian
region. It has 325,000 military personal in Asia and Africa. It has 97000 military
personal in Asia, 40,258 in South-Korea, 40,045 in Japan, 491 in Diego Garcia,
about 100 in Philippines, 113 in Thailand, 195 in Singapore, 200 in Australia and
16,600 afloat in ships and aircraft carriers. U.S. is posing real threat to regional
and world peace (Leng, 2016). Dr. Fazal-ur-Rehman has said U.S. don‟t want that
China expands its influence to other parts of the region. In containment of China,
it is very important for the western countries especially U.S. and its allies to create
some kind of opposition.‟
2
China‟s global economic rise is a major concern for U.S. because it is currently the
major dominant economic and military power of the world (Aljazeera, 2014). U.S.
sees China‟s growing economic influence as a threat to its industrial growth and
economic market influence particularly from Beijing‟s growing presence in the
Asian region that is filled with natural resources and provides a market place for
western countries‟ commodities sale (Ahmed, 2016). China, as a second largest
global economic power, is speedily exerting its economic influence by connecting
the rest of the world in a common chain of economic connectivity of One Belt and
One Road Initiative. It through this project establishing a vast market place for the
sale of its production items and for importing natural resources to fulfil the
growing consumption of industrial needs. It is developing the mutual relations of
cooperation and interdependence among the countries which expresses Beijing is
not seeking power to create global hegemony. It is promoting win-win mutual
benefits and development to other countries (South China Morning Post, 2016).
China is creating new zones of power by providing financial support, technical
assistance in development of infrastructure and energy projects to the developing
countries particularly of the Asian region (Catanzaro, Qi & Han, 2015). Beijing
1
Dr. Hu She sheng Interview with Author on 27 May, 2014.
2
Dr. Fazal-ur-Rehman Interview with Author on March 3rd, 2015.
Journal of Research Society of Pakistan – Vol. 54, No. 1, January-June, 2017
10
always opposed the discriminatory policy of West towards the third world
countries of Asia by paying unbalanced payment of imports, not sharing
technological development (Shengnan, 2015) and by providing heavy loans and
debts on high credit rates from IMF and the World Bank. These loans have
brought more poverty and social challenges to these developing countries (May,
2015). China always remained against the widening gap of North and South. On
One Belt and One Road initiative, it wants to build a balanced, equal and just
world of peace and development (Shengnan, 2015).
China through the Maritime initiative is promoting the core values of
neoliberalism approach of mutual peace, cooperation and interdependence in order
to build a peace and developed multipolar world. It brings a shift in existing world
order with its new world order of Chinese characteristics of mutual peace and
development (Catanzaro, Qi & Han, 2015). Though, China is not accepting that its
moves are for a change in global world order but the rest of the world scholars and
policy makers are agreed that the changing new world order is actually threatens
the U.S. (Nabili, 2016).
In order to disrupt the China‟s growing economic rise, U.S. has launched “Asia to
pivot policy‟ that considers as containment policy mainly being followed against
China. Under this policy, Washington is increasingly building military alliances,
deploying more military forces in its military bases, and providing military aids
and loans particularly to Asian countries to strengthen their military relations and
alliances. U.S. is militarizing the Asian region mainly against the growing
economic influence of China to balance its power (Xu, 2016). It has a military
alliance and military partnerships with Burma, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia,
India and Japan. It has 109 military bases in Japan and 89 military bases in South-
Korea. It has deployed 97000 military personal in Asia, 40, 258 in South-Korea,
40,045 in Japan, 491 in Diego Garcia, about 100 in Philippines, 113 in Thailand,
195 in Singapore, 200 in Australia, 16,600 submerged in ships and air-craft
carriers (Leng, 2016). U.S. is trying to disrupt the peaceful rise of China by
provoking the South-China Sea disputed countries to raise their voice for their
rights in South-China Sea area against Beijing. Recently, Philippines on
provocation of U.S. and Japan took the disputed matter to the International Court
of Justice (Turkish Weekly, 2015, Turkish Weekly Journal, 2015).
U.S. in order to get equal benefits in Asia has proposed the New Silk Road Project
as an alternative of China‟s One Belt and One Road initiative. It has initiated this
project to overcome the growing economic influence of China. This initiative will
pass through Asia, South East Asia and East Asia by passing through Afghanistan,
Pakistan, India, Japan, Korea, and Pacific Ocean and finally it ends by intersecting
U.S. This road will not connect China (Chinadialouge.net, 2013; Standish, 2014).
In spite of these disrupting policies of U.S. towards China, Washington has
cooperative economic and social relations with Beijing. Both countries‟ mutual
trade in 2013 was reached to $562 billion. In the same year, the U.S. foreign direct
investment stock in Beijing was $ 61 million. China is the third largest export
market for U.S. commodities. In July 2014, China‟s president Xi Jinping had paid
visit to U.S. and both countries concluded mutual cooperation to promote
economy, trade investment, global cooperation and international trade. China is
China’s One Belt One Road Initiative: Towards Mutual Peace & Development
11
facing major challenges mainly from the U.S. as super-powers always putting
checks on rising threats to their status of the world most powerful and hegemonic
state. The two trends of cooperation and competition are currently existing in
bilateral relations of China and U.S. that moves to build a peaceful multipolar
world. Washington could not disrupt China‟s peaceful rise at expense of rest of the
world development and social prosperity (Fact Sheet, 2015; Turkish Weekly Net,
2015; NY times, 2015).
India is the largest regional competitor of China (Aljazeera Newspaper, 2016).
Both countries have a border dispute on Aureanchel Pradesh area and both have
fought war in 1962 on same border issue (Bo, 2014). India is worried on China‟s
building Seaports initiative particular in its surrounding periphery countries
includes Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri-Lanka, Maldives and Pakistan. After China‟s
growing influence it is losing its political influence and competition in the Asian
region (China Daily Mail News, 2014). Its policy makers and scholars argue that
China‟s presence in Indian Ocean poses a security threat to India‟s sovereignty.
They call it the “encircling policy of China‟ towards it that limiting India‟s second
strike capability in case of foreign attack over its sovereignty (The Dawn, 2013;
China Daily Newspaper, 2008). With these claims, India is increasingly building
trade, social and Maritime Silk Road cooperation with China. It gets connected on
Maritime Silk Road through its Kolkata Seaport to China‟s Kunming city. India is
agreed to construct Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar economic corridor (BCIM)
that will connect its Kolkata Seaport to Kunming city by passing through
Bangladesh and Myanmar (Yang, 2014).
Mutual relations of both countries are currently filled with trends of cooperation
and competition. India is competing China in trade and military development and
in bilateral relations with regional countries because it doesn‟t want to lose its
regional influence over the periphery countries of Asia and its old regional status
of most powerful and developed country of Asia (China Daily US CN, 2016).
China is the second largest trading partner of India (China Daily Cn, 2016). Their
trade volume is reached to USD 70.59 billion with 7.9 percent ratio each year
(India times, 2015). Both exchanges high-level and other official levels visits
which are sign of both countries cooperative relations (Shanshan, 2015). China has
urged India to find out peaceful solution of border dispute through negotiation.
India is apparently agreed on this proposal but delaying the solution process.
Though currently both countries are economically cooperating and peaceful in
their bilateral relation with each other (Hui, 2016). The actual fears of India are
that growing economic cooperation and influence of China is shifting the decades
old economic and political influence of India over the developing countries of
Asia (China Daily Mail News, 2014).
India has a non-aligned policy. By developing cooperative relations with U.S., it is
increasingly developing its weapons and military technology and advancement
(Joshi, 2015). Similarly, it is building extensive cooperative relations with China
in order to gain economic advantages and benefits at Maritime Silk Road. Being as
a largest regional economy, India has a policy to keep balanced approach towards
all countries in order to get maximum benefits to fulfil its dream to become one of
the most developed country of the Asian region. India is using propaganda tactics
Journal of Research Society of Pakistan – Vol. 54, No. 1, January-June, 2017
12
against China, when it says its economic rise, seaports construction and
deployment of naval forces poses a threat for its sovereignty, in order to build a
deterrent and threatening atmosphere against China‟s peaceful growing
cooperation to prevent Asian countries to develop more cooperation with Beijing
(India Times, 2015).
China’s towards peaceful rise and development
China being as a nation is a peaceful and peace-loving country. It has centuries old
civilization that contains core values of peace and development. It has a long
history of peace and self-defense. During the dynastic rule when it was one of a
glorious economic and naval global power with multi- conflicting civilizations, it
did never remain an expansionist and aggressive power though it had a power to
conquer the world. It even did not conquer the periphery countries of the Asian
region (China Daily US, 2011). China had sent its naval imperial envoy Zhang
Qian to about thirty-two different regional areas but it did never make war attack
on any country or empire though it was possible (China Culture, 2003). Its policies
had been centered with peace since very earlier. Its policies‟ main priority was
economic development rather to subjugate others sovereignty in order to get more
power by occupying land-area and natural resources. China had made a difference
from other colonial western powers includes Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch,
Russians, France and the Britain on bases of having a policy of peace and defense.
It had fought wars always in self-defense but it did never conduct an attack on
other‟s sovereignty (Ministry of Foreign Affairs China, 2015; China.org.cn, 2013).
He Bin, a Chinese Journalist in Pakistan has said, “Trace back to history, Great
Britain, first Super Power of modern history, brought Colonist to the rest of world.
U.S. and USSR, two super powers of contemporary history, brought Wars to the
world. China, carrying out peaceful diplomatic policy and guided by “Five
Principles of Peaceful coexistence”, will bring out more elements of Peace and
development to the World. Because we trust the main theme of the world now is
Peace and Development.”
3
After China‟s Independence in 1949, the great national leaders of China namely
Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping has laid the foundations of China‟s policy on
anti-imperialist, anti-aggressive, peace, development, respect for other
sovereignty, non-interference and friendly cooperative relations (Communist Party
of China, 2010). Mao Zedong has said on July 14th 1956 that China dislikes
imperialism. Imperialism prevents the way of peace and development (Zedong,
1956).
Deng Xiaoping has said in a speech on October 1st 1984 that China opposes
hegemony and aggression. China would always expand and establish diplomatic,
economic and cultural relations with other countries on the Five Principles of
peaceful Coexistence that are mutual respect for each other sovereignty and
3
He Bin Interview with the Author on February 2nd, 2015.
China’s One Belt One Road Initiative: Towards Mutual Peace & Development
13
territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, mutual non-interference in each other
affairs, equality and cooperation for mutual benefit, and peaceful co-existence
(Xiaoping, 1984). The key values of China‟s national policy that has been set by
these great national leaders are leading China towards peace and development.
These leaders‟ defined principles, are still being followed as primary values of
today‟s China‟s national and foreign policy (English News, 2015). China‟s
President Xi Jinping has said while addressing to the 18th CPC Central Committee
that China policy is following the current world political trend of mutual
interdependence and cooperation. Its policy core objective is to make economic,
political, social and strategic development through mutual cooperation and peace.
China desires to develop peaceful global environment in order to promote peace
and development throughout the world (Jinping, 2014; 271-273).
China has laid the foundations of One Belt and One Road Initiative on the
principles of mutual cooperation, win-win benefits, mutual respect for each other
territorial integrity and sovereignty and mutual non-interference that it has
extracted from the core values of its national policy. China is a peaceful and non-
aligned country. The main policy goal of its initiative is to establish a developed
and peaceful society. It through One Road Initiative promotes mutual peace,
cooperation, trust, development, interdependence and integration to the rest of the
world. It promotes development to other countries and developing a new zone of
power in the Asian region. In result, new cultures and new interactions are
developing that promotes social stability, harmony and peace among the various
nations and countries (Ministry of Foreign Affairs China, 2015).
China dislikes the discriminatory policies of the developed countries towards the
third world developing countries. It is in support of promoting equal development
and social prosperity to all the countries. It is not encouraging the power
influencing anarchy system. China plays a significant role to deal with regional
and international issues that are relevant to the development and peace of the
developing countries. It during UN Climate Change Conference that held in 2015
has contributed 20 billion yuan (3 billion US dollar) for the development of the
climate security in the developing countries. During the conference, China has
urged the western developed countries to share their technological knowledge with
the developing countries and the countries should reject the narrow mind mentality
that believes there is Zero-sum game. All countries should contribute with mutual
cooperation for their responsibilities for win-win cooperation. China is not keeping
suppressive policies for the developing countries. It through its cooperative
policies desires to develop a world of mutual peace, cooperation, and
interdependence (Takçı, 2015).‟
China‟s growing economic influence and cooperation in the Asian region is a
primary concern of U.S. which is the present global power of the world. U.S.
considers China‟s growing economic development as a threat for its interests and
influence. It is under its Asia to pivot‟ policy is militarizing particularly the Asian
region by deploying military forces, arms and ammunitions and military alliances.
It is encouraging Japan which is its close military ally to raise the South-China Sea
dispute to disrupt the growing China‟s peaceful rise and economic development.
Journal of Research Society of Pakistan – Vol. 54, No. 1, January-June, 2017
14
In response to these provocations, China did not establish a military alliance and
military base against any of these countries rather it has urged the both countries
U.S. and Japan in a mild warning that these should not militarize the region.
China‟s policy comparatively to U.S. and Japan are moving towards mutual peace
and gains (Turkish Weekly, 2015). China respects the sovereignty and territorial
integrity of other countries. It believes on mutual respect for each other
sovereignty and on mutual non-interference policy that prevents wars and conflicts
among the countries. China‟s peace policy is centuries old that has been delivered
from its civilization of harmony (Ministry of Foreign Affairs China, 2015; English
News, 2015). China will never choose to go into a conflict or a war in response to
U.S. and Japan provocation at the expense of peace and prosperity of its citizens
that gave a lot of sacrifices to build today‟s country and nation (English News,
2015).
Pakistan‟s ex-Ambassador to China Akram Zaki has said “China‟s peaceful
development is they want to share, they want the prosperity of other countries.
They do not want to develop on the expense of other countries. Most countries
developed through colonial exploitation, they are developed through hard-work.
They want to share and they encourage other people to join the hard-work. It
depends on America, Chinese will not cause provocation. But Chinese will resist
provocation. America is trying to create problems for China in far-east. They are
encouraging Japan and India. But they are trying to divert that. They don‟t want a
conflict. Conflict is no-body‟s interest. They developed a new philosophy in a
great type of relations among the nations.
4
Conclusion
China is peaceful country and it wants to promote peace and development. It did
never remain a colonial and an aggressive power. It sets its national policy base on
five principles of peaceful co-existence that includes the values of mutual non-
interference and mutual respect to each other sovereignty and territorial integrity
etc. Its One Belt One Road Initiative is based on the same principles of peace,
mutual cooperation and win-win benefits. Under the sidelines of the Initiative, it is
promoting economic development and technological advancement to other
countries particularly it is empowering the developing countries of Asia. It is
enhancing mutual cooperation and interdependence among the countries. It is
reducing the development gap between the developing and developed countries by
providing the facilities of finance, technology, trade and labor to construct
interconnectivity infrastructures and energy development projects. It is building a
multipolar world with new trends of peace and cooperation. The major challenges
to China‟s peaceful development on One Belt One Road initiative are the
provocative policies of U.S. and its ally countries includes Japan etc., that are
towards militarizing the Asian region and to raise the conflict on South-China Sea.
China in response requires to remain stable over its peaceful and development
policies. It should increase its investment and financial support for the
development of education and poverty in other countries. It is strengthening its
4
Akram Zaki Interview with Author on August 20th, 2015.
China’s One Belt One Road Initiative: Towards Mutual Peace & Development
15
security by promoting interdependence on the initiative towards other countries
and making its security, a security of the rest of the world.
Journal of Research Society of Pakistan – Vol. 54, No. 1, January-June, 2017
16
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