The New Silk Road

Theresa Fallon gave a presentation on the New Silk Road at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.

In 2013, President Xi Jinping launched the New Silk Road Initiative as a centerpiece of China’s global strategy. Loosely based on the ancient Silk Road, the project aims to create a cohesive economic region encompassing dozens of countries in Europe, Central Asia, and East Africa through new infrastructure, strengthened trade links, and increased cultural exchange. This initiative can be seen as China’s first concerted effort to lead global development while simultaneously strengthening its influence on the world stage. What has China achieved so far and what kind of impact is the initiative having? What are the implications for the US as the Trump administration embraces a more isolationist policy?