Evaluation Note/ Dr. M. Sait Akman

Following President Xi’s visits to Kazakhstan and to South East Asia in 2013, China unveiled its grand Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), with two main components, namely the “Silk Road Economic Belt” (SREB), a network of transportation starting from China, encompassing several Eurasian countries on its way, ending in Europe; and “21st Century Maritime Silk Road” (MSR) connecting China and Europe via South-East Asia, South Asia and Africa. BRI as a development initiative reflects China’s evolving interests as a result of profound changes in global economy and geopolitical balances.

On land, the Initiative has six corridors comprising a New Eurasian Land Bridge with a set of railways; China-Mongolia-Russia using Trans-Siberian railway, China-Central Asia-West Asia passing through Central Asia, Iran and Turkey towards Europe, China-Pakistan involving highway and railway connections through Gwadar port, Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar, and China-Indochina Peninsula economic corridors by taking advantage of various transport routes. At sea, the Initiative focuses on building smooth, secure and efficient waterways connecting major sea ports along the route.

You may read evaluation note from here.