The New Silk Roads of the 21st Century–Time to forge a Eurasian Digital Silk Road 展望21世纪新丝绸之路–打造亚欧数字丝绸之路

2016 is only half way and China continues to dominate the headlines. First, the bold initiative of establishing an eWTP proposed by giant e-commerce advocator Jack Ma, next, China’s presidency for this year G20, Chinese deals in European brands, from Syngenta to Kuka to Italian football leagues, more recently, the newly raised South China Sea dispute. There is yet another hot issue on the table, which has received much attention since it came into being in 2013, and that is China’s “One Belt, One Road”, or “OBOR”, sometimes referred to as the “New Silk Road”.

2016年刚过一半，中国就稳稳占据了各大国际媒体的头条。一有中国电商巨头马云提出的建立世界电子贸易平台（eWTP）这一大胆倡议，再来是中国担任今年G20峰会主宾国；此外还有引人瞩目的几宗跨国收购案，包括中国化工收购瑞士农业化学巨头先正达、美的收购德国工业机器人大厂库卡集团约20%股份、以及苏宁收购意大利国际米兰足球俱乐部70%股份；当然还有最近闹得沸沸扬扬的中国南海仲裁纠纷案。但是，还有一个炙手可热的话题自从2013年被搬上国际台面之后就受到了持续的广泛关注，这就是中国的“一带一路”倡议，有时我们也将其称为“新丝绸之路”倡议。

International cooperation is facing several difficult challenges, of which the following global trends are a representation: anti-globalization, anti-integration and anti-trade. Take the example of Brexit, which was a clear manifestation against one of the EU’s basic principles: the free movement of people; look at the uncertain future of CETA (the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between EU and Canada), admittedly “the best and most progressive trade agreement” ever negotiated by the EU and now under threat in national Parliaments that need to ratify the agreement; look at the increasing terrorist threats and the general fear over immigration.

国际合作面正临着前所未有的诸多挑战，这也和目前国际主要趋势密不可分，大体可以用以下三个词形容：反全球化、反一体化、反贸易。以英国脱欧为例，这分明就是反对欧盟最基本原则之一—人员自由流动的表现；而欧盟–加拿大自由贸易协定，这一号称“欧盟所有贸易谈判中最成功的一例”目前也是身陷是否绕开各成员国议会批准的纠纷中，前途未卜；而恐怖主义威胁带来的恐惧以及社会对移民浪潮的担忧也在持续升温。

China’s OBOR initiative, aimed at deploying USD trillions of investments along the network of trade routes of the ancient Silk Road, looks like a refreshing and timely proposal in a time where each nation is looking to restore protectionist measures. OBOR promises to open a new economic relationship between Asia and Europe, where each side can gain from exploring new investment opportunities with the world’s second largest economy.

就在各国纷纷退回贸易保护主义的时候，中国及时提出了 “一带一路”，倡议将上万亿的美元投资在古丝绸之路的沿线地区贸易网。这一大胆而开放的想法令全世界耳目一新。“一带一路”承诺为亚欧打开新的经济纽带，以世界第二大经济体为媒介进而探索新的投资机会并从中获益。

Although proposed by China as a counterweight to mega-regional trade agreements excluding China, such as TPP and TTIP, the new Silk Road is not an attempt to control the Eurasian continent. On the contrary, it is a flexible and inclusive project which welcomes everyone that would like to contribute to Asian infrastructure investments.

尽管“一带一路”最早是中国为了抗衡两大国际贸易协定–跨太平洋伙伴关系协议和跨大西洋贸易与投资伙伴协议对其的孤立而提出的，但它却并不是一个企图称霸亚欧大陆的倡议。相反，“一带一路”灵活而包容，欢迎所有愿意投资亚洲基础设施建设的伙伴加入。

This was the general consensus from a two-day forum organized by the Foundation for World Wide Cooperation, led by former Italian Prime Minister and former European Commission President Romano Prodi in Venice on 10th-11th July.

基于在这一点上的共识，由意大利前总理、前欧委会主席普罗迪创办的世界合作基金会于7月10-11日在威尼斯举办了一场长达两天的研讨会。

Entitled “Along the Silk Roads”, the event gathered some high level representatives from the Italian government, the European Commission, the port authorities of Venice and Tianjin, as well as the some of the most reputable Chinese and European academics to discuss the challenges and the opportunities along the Silk Road.

以“沿着丝绸之路”为主题，这场活动汇集了来自意大利政府、欧委会、威尼斯港和天津港的众多高级官员及代表，他们和中欧知名学者一起，深入探讨了丝路上的种种机遇和挑战。

Entitled “Along the Silk Roads”, the two-day seminar took place in Venice on 10th-11th July

以“沿着丝绸之路”为主题，这场长达两天的研讨会于7月11-12日在威尼斯举行

Romano Prodi pointed out the open nature of China’s “One Belt One Road”, saying that, unlike TTP or TTIP, challenged by the changing economic and political interests involved, OBOR is more flexible and open to the contributions of all countries willing to take part in the construction of the project.

罗马诺·普罗迪在发言中指明了中国“一带一路”倡议的开放本质。他表示，和跨太平洋伙伴关系协议及跨大西洋贸易与投资伙伴协议不同，“一带一路”更加灵活，对任何有意愿参与到该项目建设中来的国家都持开放态度。反观上述两个贸易协定则因为牵涉的经济和政治利益发生改变而受到挑战。

Romano Prodi, former Italian Prime Minister and former European Commission President

意大利前总理、前欧委会主席罗马诺·普罗迪

He referred “One Belt One Road Initiative” as the answer to the 21st century, “The US wants to dictate the rules of the 21st century trade. This is impossible. We are going into a society where fragmentation is increasing,” said Prodi, “The Chinese proposal to deepen its influence in Asia gives much more flexibility.”

他进而将“一带一路”倡议比作二十一世纪贸易难题的终极回答，“美国想要主导二十一世纪贸易规则，这是不可能的。我们正在步入一个高度碎片化的社会，” 普罗迪说道，“中国这一试图深化其在亚洲影响力的倡议相比之下就提供了更多的灵活性。”

“Benefits will be split along the road. This is not something imposed by China, it is not an imposed ideology”, added Prodi (to view his full speech, please click here).

“在这条路上，利益将被拆分。这绝对不是中国强加给世界的一个意识形态”，普罗迪补充道（查看完整讲话视频，请点击此处）。

Compared to the most significant investment project in history, the “Marshall Plan”, which amounted to 130 billion in current USD, “One Belt One Road” is a much vaster project. According to The Economist, there are 900 deals under way along the route, worth 890 billion USD, and China alone will invest a cumulative 4 trillion USD in countries along the road.

历史上最具影响力的投资项目“马歇尔计划”，资金规模约合现在的130亿美元。相比之下，“一带一路”则是一个更加庞大的投资计划。《经济学人》数据显示，目前丝路沿线有900项交易正在进行中，价值8900亿美元，而仅中国就已经在沿线国家累计投资了4万亿美元。

According to Alain Baron, Head of Unit for International Transport and Enlargement, at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE), it is important that the Silk Road Initiative coordinates with the EU Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).

欧委会移动运输总司的官员阿兰·巴伦表示，中国的丝路倡议与欧盟的跨欧洲一体化交通运输网相互配合、共同发展是非常重要的。

He said that last year China and the EU signed an MoU on connectivity platform to guarantee that the transport market relies on sustainable development and a level playing field.

他说，去年双方签订了欧盟—中国互联互通平台的谅解备忘录，以确保交通市场建立在可持续发展和公平竞争基础上。

Alain Baron, Head of Unit for International Transport and Enlargement, at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE)

欧委会移动运输总司的官员阿兰·巴伦

The following four leading principles are at the core of this agreement:

下述四点原则是该协议的核心：

1.     Inclusiveness: all countries along the road should benefit from infrastructures

        包容性：所有的沿线国家都应当从基础设施建设中受益

2.     Reciprocity and full compliance with local legislation

        秉承互惠原则、完全遵守当地的法律法规

3.     Green connectivity

        绿色互联互通

4.     Benefit sharing: the country where investments take place       should not be the only beneficiary

        利益共享：被投资国家不应是唯一的受益者

“The world is changing and China is a main driver of these changes. The EU should not be a passive spectator, we should contribute actively,” Baron emphasized (to view his full speech, please click here).

巴伦强调：“世界在变化，而中国是导致这些变化的主要驱动者之一。在这一过程中，欧盟不应该是一个被动的观众，我们应该主动地做一些贡献。” （查看完整讲话视频，请点击此处）

Enrico Letta, Former Italian Prime Minister, said that the 21st century belongs to Asia and it is up to Europe whether it will also be a Eurasian century, underlying that Europe should cease to look inward and start grasping the opportunities outside its own borders.

意大利前总理恩里克·莱塔说，二十一世纪是属于亚洲的，它会不会变成属于亚欧的世纪，决定权在欧洲。这句话暗示了欧洲应该停止其保守、内向的发展政策，尽可能把目光放远、放到欧盟边界线以外，并开始抓住一切可能的机会。

Enrico Letta, Former Italian Prime Minister

意大利前总理恩里克·莱塔

He also indicated the crucial role China plays in delivering a successful G20 Summit in September and expressed very high expectations from China’s presidency to restore the world’s faith in globalization and reassure on the benefits of global trade (to view his full speech, please click here).

他同时也表示，今年九月举行的G20国峰会是否成功，中国在其中起决定性作用。他对主宾国抱有非常高的期待，希望中国可以重塑世界对全球化的信心并向各国再次保证全球贸易是对大家都有好处的（查看完整讲话视频，请点击此处）。

During a recent exclusive interview with China Daily, Letta pointed out that China’s presidency for G20 offers the country great opportunities to showcase its proactive participation in global governance, but at the same time gives it serious responsibility to inject fresh air to G20 through a new pragmatic approach, aimed at achieving concrete outcome (to view the interview please click here).

在前不久《中国日报》对其的独家采访中，莱塔指出，举办G20峰会为中国提供了一个展示其积极主动参与全球治理的绝佳机会，但同时中国也负担着一个重任，那就是以务实的态度为G20注入新鲜血液并带领本届峰会取得实实在在的成果（查看采访原文，请点击此处）。

Shaukat Aziz, Former Prime Minister of Pakistan, sees the One Belt One Road as a positive development for the whole world. “Too often people ignore the fact that China is one of the biggest importers of raw material and other products from all over the world. The increase of connectivity, no matter through land, sea or digital will definitely become the greatest driver of trade and investment. In addition to economic benefits, the initiative will also bring positive political outcome. By increasing economic interdependency, you can reduce political risks.” (to view his full speech, please click here)

巴基斯坦前总理肖卡特·阿齐兹则认为“一带一路”为整个世界带来积极发展。“人们太常忽略一个事实：中国是全世界最大的原材料及其他产品进口国之一。加强与中国的互联互联，无论是通过陆路、海路还是数字之路，都无疑将最大程度促进贸易和投资。除了经济上的利益，“一带一路”倡议也会带来正面的政治成果。通过提高经济相互依赖性，政治风险将被有效减弱（查看完整讲话视频，请点击此处）。

OBOR is a new long-term project. It will take time to gauge its impact on political relations, however, from an economic perspective it has already shown some concrete early results.

“一带一路”是一个长期项目，虽然它的政治影响还需要很长时间的考证过程，但从经济方面，许多早期的具体成果已经显现出来了。

By the end of 2015, China has invested over 14.8 billion USD in 49 countries along the route, accounting for 12.6% of China’s total overseas investments. Besides, China has contracted projects of 64.5 billion USD in 60 countries along the route, taking up 44% of Chinese foreign contracting projects.

截止2015年底，中国已经在沿线49个国家投资了148亿美元，占中国海外投资总额的12.6%。此外，中国在“一带一路”沿线上60个国家的合作项目合同金额已经达到645亿美元，占中国对外合作项目合同总额的44%。

Luigi Gambardella, President of ChinaEU, is an early advocate of digital connectivity between China and Europe. According to him, the digital revolution will become a serious challenge ahead of us, if we underestimate the disruptive power of the new technologies on the job market.

中欧数字协会主席鲁乙己是最早倡导中欧加强数字互联互通的主张者之一。他认为，如果我们低估新兴科技对于就业市场的破坏力量，那么数字革命将成为摆在所有人面前的一个严峻挑战。

Luigi Gambardella, President of ChinaEU

中欧数字协会主席鲁乙己

“The Silk Road Initiative is not just about land and maritime transport. It is also about digital connectivity. And paradoxically, it may be faster to implement a digital silk road than the other two traditional roads. The big opportunity ahead is 5G”, said Gambardella (to view his full speech, please click here).

“丝路倡议不仅仅涉及陆路和海路的交通连接，也关乎数字的互联互通。矛盾的是，打造一条数字丝绸之路也许比打造另外两条丝绸之路快很多。就中欧合作来说，很大的一个机遇是 5G”, 鲁乙己说道（查看完整讲话视频，请点击此处）。