It is pointed out in the report of the 19th CPC National Congress that we must actively promote the "Belt and Road" international cooperation and create a new platform for global cooperation. The initiative is an infrastructure network for the development of modern China and the world. It is in line with China’s historic and realistic development experience and may also influence the historical development trend of the world for hundreds of years or even longer. Therefore, understanding the value orientation of Chinese culture helps for a better understanding of the motives and behavioral pattern of China in initiating and promoting the Belt and Road Initiative.
Do what you can based on mutual consent
"To be rich, build roads first" is a buzzword of today’s China. Infrastructure is a prerequisite for development. The transportation infrastructure network, in particular, serves as a link between the market and the industrial economy. China's economic and social development is closely associated with the nationwide infrastructure revolution. Since 2000, China has basically formed a wide comprehensive transport network covering highways, high-speed railways, long-distance power transmission and transformation, wireless communication, oil and gas pipelines, port & airports, and global positioning within only around 15 years. In the process, China gradually accumulated the experience and developed the capability to provide an infrastructure network for the entire Eurasia. China's infrastructure network has laid a solid foundation for infrastructure connectivity in Asia. It can be predicted that by promoting the “Belt and Road” in an all-round way, it will not be empty talk to connect the Eurasia infrastructure network, namely policy consultation, people-to-people exchanges, financial and industrial co-operations and infrastructure connectivity.
“Do what you can” is a steady, pragmatic and practical method that the Chinese have always advocated in work. The Belt and Road Initiative aims for a very ambitious goal that cannot be achieved by China alone. Therefore, it is necessary to gradually promote specific projects according to China's capabilities and strength, as well as the acceptability of host countries. For example, Central and Eastern Europe welcome the “Belt and Road” projects to be located in their countries, which helps to form a “16+1” model. However, it is difficult to carry out these projects in the 16 countries at the same time. We can only start from countries like the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Serbia and begin with renovating the old railway system. Only after the railway renovation projects begin to show effect can we proceed with more projects that are larger in scale and involve more fields.
"Do something and leave something undone" means concentrating on crucial points and giving consideration to things of general importance. The Belt and Road Initiative geographically covers more than 60 countries having different geographical distance from and degrees of partnership with China. That requires us to select a batch of countries as a strategic fulcrum where we will build some key projects. Currently, Southeast Asia and Central Asia are the key areas involved in Belt and Road Initiative; while key participating countries include Russia, Pakistan, Indonesia and Kazakhstan. If we rush headlong into action without giving consideration to priorities, that is bound to result in a chaotic situation and small chance of success.
“Both parties are willing” originally means that a man and woman are willing to get married just because they love each other. In Belt and Road project cooperation, it is even more necessary for two parties or even multiple parties to participate on a voluntary basis. We will never impose anything on others, nor will we resort to unilateralism or even power politics. The Chinese side should select projects according to the actual needs of the local people, and the host country should also choose appropriate projects in line with its own capabilities and interest relevance. China has now combined its strategic infrastructure planning with that of other countries and formed good interactive relationship with these countries, which will lay a sound foundation for future major projects.
Plan ahead to prevent risks
"Preparedness ensures success, while unpreparedness spells failure" means we should forecast and predict the strategic prospects of major events and make good plans to confirm the path to success. Needless to say, the Belt and Road Initiative will face various risks in the course of implementation, including security, political, economic, social, cultural, ecological risks. There are many specific risks under each major category. Moreover, each risk does not exist alone. Risks are intertwined and interact. China should work with host country partners to analyze and predict the risks that large projects may encounter, and work out preventive measures and crisis response mechanisms. The construction period of a major project lasts a number of or even more than ten years, and the life cycle of a project is up to decades or even several hundred of years. Hence, strategic forecast is a prerequisite for the long-term effect of major projects.
"From turbulence to peace & prosperity" is a summary of China's political and cultural concept. It is about the dialectical relationship between “turbulence" and "peace." There is turmoil or even local wars along the “Belt and Road”. This definitely has a negative impact on the promotion of the initiative. Turmoil needs governance. The area along the “Belt and Road” can be an experimental area for international cooperation in global or regional governance. For example, international cooperation on terrorism is an unavoidable subject in the area along the “Belt and Road”. It is not direct content of the Belt and Road Initiative but a necessary condition. A new international judicial cooperation mechanism may be formed in the process of promoting the Belt and Road Initiative, such as cracking down on drugs, illegal immigration, and money laundering.
“From top down” and “from bottom up” summarizes several interactions between the government and the people, the government and the market, state-owned enterprises and private businesses. Since the Belt and Road Initiative was put forward, foreign friends have always asked whether the initiative is a market act or a government act. Some domestic scholars also questioned if it is an initiative in which the government plays a major role and takes all responsibilities. It should be a market and industry integration process that is advocated and promoted by the government, but the ultimate implementer is enterprises. A huge infrastructure network requires a great coordination mechanism. The Chinese government's ability in this regard is universally recognized. The Belt and Road Initiative will be implemented in dozens of countries, which requires a sound cooperation mechanism between governments. However, the micro-subjects of economic activities such as project bidding, investment & construction, and operation management are enterprises. The Belt and Road Initiative is based on market rules, and the government cannot act as the implementer. Therefore, “from top down” and “from bottom up” are both indispensable.
Openness and Inclusiveness
“A wide heart embraces all” and “inclusiveness” is the main feature of the formation process of Chinese culture. It is reflected as “openness and inclusiveness” in the process of promoting the Belt and Road Initiative. China's advocacy of the Belt and Road Initiative does not mean that China will do it alone or that it will elbow out other powers or countries with different systems and values. China does not advocate an exclusive system of allies, nor will it expand its sphere of influence via the Belt and Road Initiative. It is understandable that Western countries explain the Belt and Road from their own history. However, the West should also seek truth from facts and try to understand China's true intentions and behaviors.
Chinese culture advocates "do unto others as you would be done". China has suffered a lot from long being marginalized by superpowers and their allies, and hence will not repeat the same thing. On the contrary, we welcome the participation of Western countries such as the United States, Japan, the European Union, and the United Kingdom in the Belt and Road. Some of them have become members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and have invested in some projects. Recently, some major powers are planning to form an alliance as a way to control the seaway and block promotion of the Belt and Road in geo-economics. In fact, China alone cannot meet the huge infrastructure demand of countries along the Belt and Road. We hope that all major powers can participate in the Belt and Road Initiative. The more, the better.
"Give more and take less; only give and not take". This is China's traditional view of righteousness and benefit that is based on the premise of "take in a proper way." On this basis, the new concept of benefit formed through common interests and win-win cooperation is the ethical foundation for the interest structure of the Belt and Road Initiative. A gentleman does not only talk about "righteousness" but not "profit". The key lies in a "way" that is based on common interest. The more the common interests are, the more morally right and the more sustainable it will be. Chinese companies should be wary of going too far in profit seeking, which may cause the consequence of “draining the pond to get all the fish”. China and other countries should not regard the Belt and Road Initiative as a government aid project, while ignoring cost and profit. That may also result in another form of “draining the pond to get all the fish”. Both are unsustainable. “Seek benefit in a proper way” is the concept of righteousness that the Belt and Road Initiative will always sticks to.
In brief, "regarding national affairs as our duty" has been the highest pursuit of successive generations of Chinese with lofty ideas. The Belt and Road is an embodiment of the fact that China sees human destiny as its duty and value pursuit. Through promoting the Belt and Road, we must put into practice the idea of building a community with shared interest, responsibility and future, and transform from abstract concepts to practical platforms for common development, security and governance, so that the spiritual value of Chinese culture can be reflected and practiced by the Belt and Road Initiative in terms of material manifestation and social experience.
(The author is a member of the Academic Committee of Shanghai Academy.)
