Recently, the State Oceanographic administration and the national Committee for development and reform Commission jointly issued the “Concept of Maritime cooperation in the construction of “Belt and road” (“Concept”). Since the publication of “Perspectives and actions to promote the joint construction of the economic belt of the silk road and Maritime silk road of the 21st century”, the Chinese government first proposed Chinese plan for Maritime cooperation in the construction of “Belt and road,” which also became one of the results of the forum of international cooperation “Belt and road”.
In the “Concept” of the proposed focus on the creation of three “blue economic corridors”:
- economic corridor (with the support of the coastal economic zone of China), connecting China and the Indochinese Peninsula, through the South sea to the Indian ocean, linking China, Pakistan, India and Burma, jointly build the “blue economic corridor” China — Indian ocean — Africa — Mediterranean;
- via the South China sea to the South into the Pacific for the joint construction of the “blue economic corridor” between China, Oceania and South Pacific;
- actively promote the joint construction of the “blue economic corridor” between the Arctic ocean and Europe.
Why is it necessary to add a channel between the Arctic ocean and Europe? In comparison with the issued by the National Committee for development and reform Commission of the PRC program “Perspectives and actions of” this “Concept” added new “blue economic corridor to promote and create a connection between the Arctic ocean and Europe”.
Deputy Director of Department of macroeconomic research financial Institute “Chung Yeung” at the people’s University of China Chen Changcheng explained that the previous route was based on scientific calculations in the field of global trade logistics. On this basis, to ensure long-term security trading, it is also necessary to take into account the issue of diversification of channels. “In the past we are too dependent on the Malacca shipping lanes. However, in recent years, some non-traditional threats such as piracy, etc.”
She believes that excessive dependence on a particular route carries the risk for safe transport. During the development of the strategic ports of the Maritime silk road, a very important factor is “diversification” marine transport routes.
How to assess the value and function of the plan? Chen Changcheng said that “Concept” is a programmatic document for the construction of “Maritime silk road”. After the forum of international cooperation “Belt and road” to implement the achievements of more than 270 points. “We see that the construction of “Belt and road” has entered a more practical phase, we need better progress,” said Chen Changcheng, adding that currently, China has signed a Memorandum of cooperation in the framework of the “Belt and road” from 68 countries and international organizations in terms of the active participation of many countries and international organizations, the introduction of such high-level programs is especially important.
She says that with this clearer program manual, located along the route of the country also can get the understanding of Chinese thinking from a “Concept”.
