2 The Chinese Belt and Road Initiative and Chongqing
Pilot Free Trade Zone
The BRI emanated from the foreign policy strategy announced by China’s President
Xi Jinping in 2013.
11 It is inspired by the ancient silk road, the trading routes and
networks that emerged during the Han dynasty in 206 BC, for export of silk to India,
Mesopotamia, North Africa and Europe. The BRI, in spirit is similar to the ancient
silk road, but in form is much bigger and arguably better. Infrastructure development
is a crucial element of the BRI but within its scope also lies policy dialogue,
infrastructure connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial support and people-to-people
exchange.
12 Physical infrastructure is currently playing a fundamental role in fostering regional cooperation and development. A large number of projects are underway or under consideration to connect various sub-regions, including high-speed
railroads, oil and gas pipelines and telecom and electricity links.
13 Chinese institutions, including the Silk Road Fund, the China Development Bank and many
Chinese companies are making large investment, alongside funding provided by
international organizations such as the AIIB, the BRICS New Development Bank,
the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. In most part, the BRI is
sponsored by the Chinese government. Currently, there are close to 70 countries
connected with the BRI but 30 countries are main participants which need critical
infrastructure. The BRI marks a radical change in China’s foreign policy as it
constitutes a new economic development model that aims to strengthen China’s
position as an economic superpower.
14 However, it has been emphasized time and
11 The BRI is a combination of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Road.
The Silk Road Economic Belt concept was introduced by the President during his visit to
Kazakhstan in September 2013 in a speech titled “Promote People-to-People Friendship and Create
a Better Future” delivered at Nazarbayev University on 7 September 2013. The Belt refers to
economic and overland transport links which stretches from China to Europe passing through
central Asia, Russia and the Baltic States. The areas between China and Europe are connected by
railroads, highways, air routes and other means of transport. During his speech, the Chinese leader
mentioned the strategic vision of China and emphasized the close cooperation between China and
Central Asia. Later in October 2013, the President, during a speech to the Indonesian Parliament,
proposed the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road to promote maritime cooperation. The twenty-first
century Maritime Road is a network of maritime routes which includes ports in China, regions
across Asia such as the Indian Ocean, Indonesia, Middle East, North Africa and Europe. He also
emphasized the building of a close-knit China-ASEAN community. In his speech at the Indonesian
Parliament, the President also proposed establishing the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
(AIIB) to finance infrastructure construction and promote regional interconnectivity and economic
integration. The AIIB was subsequently established on 25 December 2015.
12 “Vision and Actions on Jointly Building Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime
Silk Road”, issued by the National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, and Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, with State Council
authorization on 28 March 2015 (hereinafter Vision and Actions document).
13 Interactive map of the BRI, https://www.merics.org/en/bri-tracker/interactive-map, accessed
17 April 2019.
14 Nordin and Weissmann (2018), pp. 231–249.
Maritime Rules for Rail Carriage: China’s Initiative to. . .
43
Pilot Free Trade Zone
The BRI emanated from the foreign policy strategy announced by China’s President
Xi Jinping in 2013.
11 It is inspired by the ancient silk road, the trading routes and
networks that emerged during the Han dynasty in 206 BC, for export of silk to India,
Mesopotamia, North Africa and Europe. The BRI, in spirit is similar to the ancient
silk road, but in form is much bigger and arguably better. Infrastructure development
is a crucial element of the BRI but within its scope also lies policy dialogue,
infrastructure connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial support and people-to-people
exchange.
12 Physical infrastructure is currently playing a fundamental role in fostering regional cooperation and development. A large number of projects are underway or under consideration to connect various sub-regions, including high-speed
railroads, oil and gas pipelines and telecom and electricity links.
13 Chinese institutions, including the Silk Road Fund, the China Development Bank and many
Chinese companies are making large investment, alongside funding provided by
international organizations such as the AIIB, the BRICS New Development Bank,
the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. In most part, the BRI is
sponsored by the Chinese government. Currently, there are close to 70 countries
connected with the BRI but 30 countries are main participants which need critical
infrastructure. The BRI marks a radical change in China’s foreign policy as it
constitutes a new economic development model that aims to strengthen China’s
position as an economic superpower.
14 However, it has been emphasized time and
11 The BRI is a combination of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Road.
The Silk Road Economic Belt concept was introduced by the President during his visit to
Kazakhstan in September 2013 in a speech titled “Promote People-to-People Friendship and Create
a Better Future” delivered at Nazarbayev University on 7 September 2013. The Belt refers to
economic and overland transport links which stretches from China to Europe passing through
central Asia, Russia and the Baltic States. The areas between China and Europe are connected by
railroads, highways, air routes and other means of transport. During his speech, the Chinese leader
mentioned the strategic vision of China and emphasized the close cooperation between China and
Central Asia. Later in October 2013, the President, during a speech to the Indonesian Parliament,
proposed the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road to promote maritime cooperation. The twenty-first
century Maritime Road is a network of maritime routes which includes ports in China, regions
across Asia such as the Indian Ocean, Indonesia, Middle East, North Africa and Europe. He also
emphasized the building of a close-knit China-ASEAN community. In his speech at the Indonesian
Parliament, the President also proposed establishing the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
(AIIB) to finance infrastructure construction and promote regional interconnectivity and economic
integration. The AIIB was subsequently established on 25 December 2015.
12 “Vision and Actions on Jointly Building Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime
Silk Road”, issued by the National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, and Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, with State Council
authorization on 28 March 2015 (hereinafter Vision and Actions document).
13 Interactive map of the BRI, https://www.merics.org/en/bri-tracker/interactive-map, accessed
17 April 2019.
14 Nordin and Weissmann (2018), pp. 231–249.
Maritime Rules for Rail Carriage: China’s Initiative to. . .
43