On the Opportunity and Challenges of China's Diplomacy——Under the Background of “The Belt and Road Initiative”

Ma Run(Ma Run ),Ma Yuting(Ma Yuting ) 아시아사회과학학회 2022 International Science Research Vol.2 No.3

“The New Silk Road Economic Belt” and “the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road”, as the national strategies of China in the new era, are of great practical significance in building a mutually beneficial and win-win community of interests and a community of common development and prosperity with countries along the Belt and Road. The implementation of the “The Belt and Road Initiative” will help cushion the external pressure faced by China's peaceful rise. At the same time, it promotes the construction and improvement of the new international order, and enhance China's right to speak internationally in the international community. At the same time, with the deepening of China's “the belt and road initiative”, China and other countries along the route will gain development opportunities in the fields of economic diplomacy, people-to-people humanities diplomacy, and non-traditional security. Further more, in the process of promoting the “The Belt and Road Initiative”, there are also many challenges, such as the countries along the route are skeptical about the “The Belt and Road Initiative”, the conflicts caused by ethnic, religious and cultural differences, and the interference of external forces. The so-called opportunities and challenges keep pace with each other. We need to seize the diplomatic opportunity of the “The Belt and Road Initiative”, whilist try our best to cope with the challenges we are facing, and effectively promote the development and construction of our country.

실크로드의 정치경제학: 중화경제권, 일대일로전략구상과 국제관계

김인 중국학연구회 2018 중국학연구 Vol.- No.86

This study analysis new Silk Road with political economic perspective focus on Greater Chinese Economic Sphere, the “One Belt One Road” Strategic Initiative of the China and international relations. The “One Belt One Road” Strategic Initiative is based on the existing achievements of China's reform and opening policy, and on the other hand it is a new version of the reform and opening policy that responds to the changing environment and conditions of the 21st century. “One Belt One Road” Strategic Initiative is a vision and implementation plan that systematically connects and functionally integrates the economic network led by China, which has grown and expanded since launch of the reform and opening policy, the Chinese economy at the global level. China is attempting to institutionalize the economic influence that it has already secured through the promotion of the “One Belt One Road” Strategic Initiative and to expand it to the geopolitical level. China's pursuit of the “One Belt One Road” Strategic Initiative inevitably impacts the existing order, and this will be a turning point in the challenge that will lead to a strong response from the established super powers. On the basis of these perceptions and regulations, China's “One Belt One Road” Strategic Initiative results in the following characteristics. First, the “One Belt One Road” Strategic Initiative formulation has a formal consistency of reform and openness and globalization. Second, the “One Belt One Road” Strategic Initiative has a political and economic complexity in terms of securing the supply of China's economic growth power and expanding its power to structure external influence projections. Third, the “One Belt One Road” Strategic Initiative creates a shock that can lead to a transformation of the existing world order on the geopolitical level, which inevitably has an international nature that causes a strong response from the existing powers like the United States. 이 논문의 목표는 “일대일로” 전략구상으로 확장될 중화경제권의 범위와 역할, 작동 기제, 함의 및 영향에 대한 문제 제기이다. 구체적으로 첫째 주제는 “일대일로” 전략구상이 왜 제기되었는가와 관련되는 배경과 추진 논리를 중화경제권의 확장을 중심으로 조명하는 것이고, 두 번째 주제는 “일대일로”는 어떻게 조직되고 있는가하는 구조의 문제와 어떻게 기능하는가하는 작동기제의 문제를 제기하는 것이다. 세 번째 주제는 “일대일로”전략구상이 추진되는 과정에서 어떻게 주변 환경과 상호작용하고 영향을 미치는가와 관련된 파급효과와 함의에 대한 문제를 특히 한국과 연관시켜 논의하는 것이다. 이 글은 “일대일로“ 전략구상이 추구하는 중화경제권에 기본적으로 ‘네트워크’ 관점에서 접근한다. 중국은 일대일로 전략구상의 추진을 통해 이미 확보한 경제적 영향력을 제도화하고 이를 지정학적 차원으로 확장하려는 시도를 하고 있다. 중국의 일대일로 전략구상을 통한 주도권 추구는 필연적으로 기존 질서에 충격을 가하고, 이는 기성 패권세력의 강력한 대응을 야기하는 전환기적 도전이 될 것이다. 이러한 인식과 규정 위에서 중국의 일대일로 전략구성은 다음과 같은 특성을 갖는 것으로 귀결된다. 첫째, 일대일로전략구상은 형식적으로 개혁개방 기조와 세계화의 방향적 일관성을 갖고 있다. 둘째, 일대일로전략구상은 실천적 차원에서 중국의 경제 성장 동력의 공급원 확보와 대외 영향력 투사를 구조화하는 세력권 확장이라는 정치경제적 복합성을 갖고 있다. 셋째, 일대일로전략은 지정학적 차원에서 기존 세계질서에 변혁을 초래할 수 있는 충격을 발생시키며, 이는 필연적으로 미국을 위시한 기존 강대국들의 강력한 대응을 야기하는 국제성을 갖고 있다.

Sino-Bangladesh Co-building the “Belt and Road” Initiative : Achievements, Challenges and Responses

손희근(Xiqin Sun),조욱(Xu Zhao) 한국국회학회 2022 한국과 세계 Vol.4 No.2

Bangladesh enjoys an advantageous geographical position. It has been a transit station for businessmen from South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia and even Europe since ancient times. It is located at the intersection of China Economic Circle, South Asia Economic Circle and ASEAN Economic Circle, and is an important country along the belt and road initiative. The “Belt and Road” initiative was supported by Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Since the “Belt and Road” initiative was put forward, China and Bangladesh have achieved remarkable results in policy communication, facility connectivity, smooth trade, capital financing and people-to-people communication. However, China and Bangladesh still face challenges in the political, security, economic and social fields to jointly build the “Belt and Road” initiative. In the new period, China and Bangladesh should strengthen political communication, promote the docking of China-Bangladesh development strategies, strengthen facility connectivity and industrial cooperation, promote cultural exchanges, promote the upgrading of cooperation between the two countries, and jointly build a high-quality “Belt and Road” initiative.

중국 ‘일대일로’ 문화정책 5년의 성과와 과제

권기영 중앙대학교 중앙사학연구소 2018 중앙사론 Vol.0 No.48

Over the past five years, China’s ‘The Belt and Road Initiative’ strategy has brought about diverse interpretations and controversy since the 2013 Xi Jinping brought up the ‘Silk Road Economic Belt’ and ‘21st-Century Maritime Silk Road’ construction. There is positive public opinion and negative public opinion. Of course, the Chinese government also clearly recognizes that overcoming this negative public opinion is a key task in determining the success or failure of ‘The Belt and Road Initiative’. The Chinese government is extremely vigilant in recognizing ‘The Belt and Road Initiative’ along with Chinese expansionism or supremacy. For this reason, the Chinese government emphasizes the role of ‘People-to-people bond(民心相通)’ more than anything else. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the cultural policies and the progress of the Chinese government in relation to ‘The Belt and Road Initiative’ in the past five years, and to analyze its achievements and problems. The Chinese government’s foreign cultural policy aimed at countries along the Belt and Road is still focused on the direction of Chinese culture ‘Go global strategy(走出去)’. I think that if China continues this policy, it will be more difficult for the ‘People-to-people bond’. China’s foreign cultural policy in the 21st century was centered on two axes: cultural security and soft power. It is mainly in advanced countries, with strong regulatory policies on foreign cultural products and overseas expansion of Chinese culture. However, countries along the Belt and Road are mostly developing countries. Therefore, ‘one on one’ countries are also likely to look at China with the same perspective that China has for the advanced Western capitalist countries. From this point of view, China’s “The Belt and Road Initiative” cultural policy should be transformed dramatically in the future. If you want to borrow Chinese expression, the Chinese government should abandon its policy of ‘Go global strategy(走出去)’ Chinese culture abroad from a strategic point of view, and to focus on ‘Bring in (引進來)’ foreign culture into China. The Chinese government is not trying to force China to spread its values and to empathize with countries along the Belt and Road. Instead, it is trying to create a new era spirit in the process of actively experiencing and consuming the culture of countries along the Belt and Road.

Research on Religious Exchanges in the “Belt and Road” Countries under the Mutual Learning of Civilizations

Sun Xiqin,Chen Ziwei 아시아사회과학학회 2021 Jornal of Asia Social Science Vol.5 No.3

Nowadays, the international political and economic situation is changing constantly. Based on its own historical development and reality, China’s the “Belt and Road” initiative is an important way to realize globalization, and it has promoted exchanges and mutual learning and common development between China and countries along the the “Belt and Road” initiative. From the perspective of civilization exchange and development, the the “Belt and Road” initiative is the integration of multi-cultures. In the process from vision to reality, deep communication and mutual understanding of human civilization are needed. We can see that the unbalanced social development and deepening mutual influence among countries all over the world make the the “Belt and Road” initiative face different challenges from different ethnic and religious groups. Therefore, we should learn from history, deeply study the positive role of religious culture in the exchange and mutual learning of civilizations, establish a sense of responsibility, tell Chinese religious stories well, sort out the image of China, and promote the high-quality development of the the “Belt and Road” initiative .

한국의 유라시아 이니셔티브와 중국의 일대일로 전략의 경쟁과 협력

문희철(Hee Cheol Moon) 중앙대학교 한국전자무역연구소 2016 전자무역연구 Vol.14 No.1

연구목적: 본 논문의 연구목적은 유라시아와 관련하여 한국의 유라시아 이니셔티브와 중국의 일대일로 정책의 주요내용을 살펴봄으로써 2개 정책상의 경쟁과 협력을 연구하여 한국의 유라시아 이니셔티브의 성공적 추진에 기여하는 것이다. 한국의 유라시아 이니셔티브는 유라시아지역의 효율적인 네트워크 구축을 통해 하나의 대륙, 평화의 대륙, 창조의 대륙을 완성하는 것이고, 이 전략이 중국의 일대일로 전략과 밀접한 관련성이 있기 때문에 2개의 전략은 협력과 경쟁을 필요로 하고 있다. 논문구성/논리: 본 논문은 총 5개장으로 구성되어 있다. 제1장은 서론으로서 연구의 배경과 연구목적을 기술하고 있으며, 제2장은 한국의 유라시아 이니셔티브와 중국의 일대일로 전략에 대한 선행연구분석을 다루고 있다. 제3장은 한국 유라시아 이니셔티브의 주요내용을 다루고 있는데, 주요 핵심사업의 성과를 설명하고 있다. 제4장은 중국의 일대일로 정책을 분석하였는데 실크로드 경제벨트구축과 21세기 해상 실크로드 구축을 중심으로 모색하고 있다. 제5장은 결론을 내리고 있는데 본 논문을 요약하면서 경쟁과 협력방안을 모색하고 있다. 결과: 한국의 유라시아 이니셔티브는 하나의 대륙, 평화의 대륙, 창조의 대륙에 근거하고 있고 중국의 일대일로 전략과 매우 밀접한 관계가 있는데 2개의 전략이 아시아지역에 치중하고 있고 유라시아를 통한 물류네트워크 구축과 관련이 있기 때문이다. 중국의 일대일로 정책을 살펴본 결과 중국은 상당히 오랜 기간을 통하여 정책을 수립하여 왔고 특히 21세기 해상 신실크로드 구축계획을 수립하기 이전에 이미 대서양 목걸이 전략을 전개함으로써 주요항만의 이용권을 확보하고 있어 일대일로정책에 따른 물류, 통신, 에너지 망을 성공적으로 추진할 가능성이 매우 높다. 그러나 한국은 장기적인 유라시아 이니셔티브의 첫걸음을 딛게 되었으며, 중국의 많은 성과에 비해 아직은 초라한 성적이다. 독창성/가치: 중국의 일대일로 정책, 한국의 유라시아 이니셔티브을 비교분석함으로써 Win-Win게임으로서 경쟁과 협력을 논하고 있다는 점에서 그 독창성을 가지고 있다. 또한 본 논문은 유라시아 이니셔티브의 성공을 위해서는 미국, 러시아, 일본, 북한의 역할론을 제시하고 있다. 유라시아 지역에서 중국, 한국이 중요한 역할을 수행하고 있다는 점에서 유라시아 지역에서 자신들의 역할을 정립하고 물류, 에너지, ICT를 위한 네트워크를 구축하기 위한 전략들을 가지고 있기 때문에 시의적절하고 할 수 있다. 특히 기존에 경쟁과 협력차원에서 이러한 전략을 비교분석하고 있는 논문이 없다는 점에서도 본 논문의 가치는 충분하다고 할 수 있다. Purpose: This study intends to contribute toward the successful implementation of Korea’s Eurasia Initiative by studying possibilities of mutual cooperation and competition by analyzing the core contents of Korea’s Eurasia Initiative and China’s One Belt and One Road Strategy. Both strategies need cooperation and competition as Eurasia Initiative is aiming at completing ‘One Continent,’ ‘Creative Continent,’ and ‘Peaceful Continent’ through construction of effective network in Eurasia region and this initiative has close relations with China’s ‘One Belt and One Road Strategy.’ Composition/Logic: This paper is composed of five chapters. Chapter I presents the introduction and explains the background and purpose of this study. Chapter II analyzes literature survey on Korean Eurasia Initiative and Chinese One Belt and One Road Strategy. Chapter III deals with the main contents of the Eurasia Initiative and the outcomes of main logistics projects. Chapter IV deals with China’s strategy in view of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Sea New Silk Road. Chapter V concludes the study and suggests competition and cooperation in both strategies. Findings: Korean Eurasia Initiative is based on ‘One Continent,’ ‘Creative Continent,’ and ‘Peaceful Continent’ and has a close relation with Chinese One Belt, One Road strategy, considering both are focused on the Asia region and pertain to the logistics network across Eurasia. China has been working on the One Belt and One Road Strategy for a long time and China has the possibility in winning in Eurasia competition by securing the ports in sea route of the Atlantic in particular as China undergone the Pearl Necklace Strategy before China plans twenty-first century Sea New Silk Road. However, Korea undergone the first step for long term Eurasia Initiative, so there are a few outcomes of this strategy in spite of many outcomes of Chinese One Belt and One Road Strategy. Originality/Value: As a distinctive attribute, this study presents the significance of cooperation and competition as a win-win situation by comparing the core contents of China’s One Belt and One Road Strategy and Korea’s Eurasia Initiative. The study also emphasizes on the roles of the United States, Russia, Japan, and South Korea in the success of the Eurasia Initiative. These countries have a key role to play in Eurasia, and they have plans in place for improving the area and bolstering its logistics, energy, and ICT networks. This study also carries academic value, considering there is no prior study dealing with the comparative works of these strategies in view of mutual cooperation and competition.

중국 일대일로 정책의 10년 평가와 전망: 동북3성을 중심으로

문익준 ( Moon Ikjoon ) 국민대학교 중국지식네트워크 2023 중국지식네트워크 Vol.21 No.-

본 연구는 중국 동북 3성의 일대일로 정책 10년을 평가하고 전망하였다. 중앙정부의 일대일로 정책에 협력하기 위해서 동북 3성은 각자 기존의 지역발전전략을 발전시켰다. 일대일로 정책이 2018년 이후 기존의 서진전략에서 동진전략을 병행하기 시작하면서 동북3성에게는 새로운 기회로 다가왔다. 동북 3성은 지난 10년간 중앙정부의 일대일로 정책에 적극 협력하여 왔다. 랴오닝성은 지리적 이점과 경제적 여건을 바탕으로 일대일로의 효과를 가장 많이 누리고 있다. 지린성은 기존의 동북진흥정책, 창지투개발선도구사업, 광역 두만강 개발계획 등을 일대일로에 연계시켰다. 헤이룽장성은 대러시아 협력을 중심으로 중앙정부의 일대일로에 협력해 왔으며, 향후에도 중요한 위치를 선점할 것으로 예상된다. 동북 3성중에서 랴오닝성이 긍정적인 영향을 가장 많이 받고 있으며, 지린성과 헤이룽장성은 긍정적인 효과가 뚜렷하게 나타나지 않고 있다. 동북 3성의 일대일로 무역효과를 파악하기 위해서 중력모형을 이용하여 실증분석하였다. 일대일로 연선국가들의 경제규모가 크고, 물리적인 거리가 가까워질수록 수출은 증가하는 것으로 분석되었다. 해운, 철도, 항공 거리를 모두 고려한 결과, 거리가 짧아질수록 수출을 증가시키는 것으로 분석되었다. 특히 해운 거리를 단축시키는 방법이 가장 효과적인 방법으로 결론내었다. 이는 동북 3성이 바다를 이용한 수출이 가장 중요하다고 분석되었으며, 향후 북한과의 경제협력이 핵심이다. This study evaluates and forecasts the first decade of the Belt and Road Initiative in China's three Northeast provinces. In order to cooperate with the central government's Belt and Road Initiative, the three Northeast provinces have developed their own regional development strategies. Since 2018, the Belt and Road Initiative has begun to include both a westward strategy and an eastward strategy, creating new opportunities for the three Northeast provinces. The three Northeast provinces have been actively cooperating with the central government's Belt and Road Initiative for the past decade. Liaoning province has benefited the most from the Belt and Road Initiative due to its geographical and economic advantages. Jilin province has linked its existing the Northeast Revitalization Plan, the ChangJiTu Development Pilot Project, and the Greater Tumen Initiative to the Belt and Road Initiative. Heilongjiang province has been cooperating with the central government's Belt and Road Initiative, centered on cooperation with Russia, and is expected to play an important role in the future. Among the three Northeast provinces, Liaoning province is the most positively impacted, while Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces are not so obviously affected. To understand the trade effects, we use a gravity model to empirically analyze the trade effects of the Belt and Road Initiative in the three Northeast provinces. The analysis shows that the larger the economic size of the countries along the Belt and Road Initiative and the closer the physical distance, the more the exports. Considering shipping, rail, and air distances, the results showed that the shorter the distance, the more exports increase. In particular, it was concluded that shortening the shipping distance was the most effective method. This means that exports by sea are the most important for China’s the three Northeast provinces, and future economic cooperation with North Korea is key.

Trade Routes Connectivity through Belt and Road Initiative and Its Implications

TheingiLwin ( 뎅기 르웬 ),KimHyun-Duk ( 김현덕 ) 한국도서학회 2017 韓國島嶼硏究 Vol.29 No.3

The "Belt and Road initiative” by the Chinese government, involving 65 countries and regions, and about 63% of the world population, is attracting fast growing interest across different countries. The vision of China is to build faster connectivity routes and increase trade along the land- and sea-based Silk Road, linking Asia with Europe and Africa. New roads, railroads, pipelines, ports, airports, and inland telecommunications links are to boost the efficiency of overland travel and economic transactions across Europe and Asia (Eurasia). The Belt and Road thus symbolizes global economic and cultural networking based on mutual interaction and cooperation. Since China’s dependence on foreign oil and gas is so high, obtaining reliable transport routes and diversifying transport routes by procuring oil and natural gas from the energy-rich Central Asian region through the construction of the land-based Silk Road is of critical importance to China’s energy security. First, this paper therefore aims to investigate the OBOR’s development potentials trade routes to Europe from Asia across the Strait of Malacca and Suez Canal. Through this trade route, Egypt can play a major role in China’s Belt and Road initiative due to its strategic geographic location. Second, this paper focuses on oil and gas import trade routes from the Middle East to China (connecting Kyaukpyu to Kunming) crossing Myanmar. The trade link allows China to import crude oil from the Middle East and Africa without passing the Straits of Malacca and into the South China Sea. In addition, the paper also presents the role of Kra canal which might become potential new trade route in OBOR project. Finally, this paper reveals many points of cooperation with the Eurasia Initiative (EAI) of the Korean government and ways to construct a Silk Road Express and transcontinental railroads to promote peace on the Korea Peninsula. As a result, Korea can expend international trade in participating in OBOR initiative. Consequently, this study develops the trade routes by fostering greater and faster connectivity between China and Europe via intermadiate points in Central, West, and South Asia as well as Russia. Although this paper lacks in the empirical analysis, the results support the valuable conclusion for trade connection routes from East to West. 중국 정부에 의해 추진되고 있는 "Belt and Road initiative”는 65개 국가와 세계 인구의 약 63%를 포함하는 거대한 프로젝트로 많은 국가들이 큰 관심을 가지고 있다. 이러한 이니셔티브를 통해 중국은 세계의 운송로를 연결하고 아시아와 유럽 그리고 아프리카를 연결하는 육상 및 해상 기반의 실크로드를 따라 무역을 확대하고자 한다. 도로, 철로, 파이프라인, 항만, 공항 그리고 내륙 통신의 연결은 유럽은 물론 아시아 국가 간의 인적 교류 및 경제적 거래의 효율성을 증가시킬 것으로 기대된다. 일대일로 프로젝트는 상호 교류 및 협력에 근거한 글로벌 경제 및 문화 네트워크를 구축하는 것을 의미한다. 중국은 유류 및 가스에 대한 의존도가 높기 때문에, 신뢰할만한 운송로와 유류 및 천연가스를 운송하기 위한 다양한 운송로의 확보가 필요하다. 본 연구에서 다루고자 하는 연구의 목적은 다음과 같다. 첫째, 이 논문은 말라카해협과 수에즈 운하를 경유하여 아시아에서 유럽까지 OBOR의 잠재적 무역 경로를 조사하고자 한다. 이집트는 아시아와 유렵을 연결하는 전략적인 지리적 위치의 이점을 가지고 있으며, 이러한 무역루트를 통해 이집트는 중국의 일대일로 이니셔티브에 중요한 역할을 수행한다. 둘째, 이 논문은 미얀마를 경유하여 중동과 중국을 연결하는 유류 및 가스 수입 무역루트에 대해서도 조사한다. 이러한 무역루트는 중국이 말라카해협을 경유하지 않고 중동 및 아프리카로부터 원유를 수입할 수 있게 해 준다. 추가적으로 이 논문은 크라 운하의 역할과 가능성에 대해서도 언급한다. 마지막으로 우리나라 정부에서 추진했던 유라시아 이니셔티브와의 협력의 가능성과 한반도에 평화 및 신뢰를 촉진하기 위한 실크로드 익스프레스와 대륙철도를 구축하기 위한 방법에 대해서도 논의한다. 추가적으로 이 연구는 중앙아시아, 서아시아, 남아시아는 물론 러시아를 경유하면서 중국과 유럽 간에 더 신속한 연계를 지원하는 무역 경로에 대해서도 조사한다. 그럼에도 불구하고 이 논문은 실증 분석이 미흡하다. 추후 구체적 실증분석이나 설문조사 등을 사용하여 연구의 한계를 보완할 필요가 있다.

중국 ‘일대일로’ 기획의 정치경제: ‘동원된 세계화’의 국내적 조건을 중심으로

박상현 국립부경대학교 글로벌지역학연구소 2024 Journal of Global and Area Studies(JGA) Vol.8 No.1

Since President Xi Jinping announced the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ in 2013, the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative was celebrated in 2023. The process of initiating and implementing the Belt and Road Initiative reflected domestic political and economic conditions in China. After the 2008-09 global financial crisis, the Chinese economy experienced a rapid slowdown in growth, and Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road Initiative as an external strategy to realize the ‘Chinese Dream’ by strengthening the role of the party and the state. Much of the Belt and Road Initiative took the form of large-scale civil engineering and construction projects led by Chinese state-owned enterprises based on China’s aggressive foreign investment and loans. Since 2018, construction investment has been decreasing, but it is still forming the central axis of the Belt and Road Initiative. At the same time, as paired with the Chinese Manufacturing 2025 Industrial Policy, which promotes the advancement of the Chinese industry, ‘high-quality’ development plans such as the ‘Digital Silk Road’, the ‘Health Silk Road’, and the ‘Green Silk Road’ are being proposed. At the same time, Belt and Road Initiative is becoming the framework of China’s ‘international influence competition’ amid strategic competition between the US and China.

Silver Road Meets Silk Road: Insights about Mexico's Insertion into Silk Road Dynamics

TZILI-APANGO, EDUARDO Academia Via Serica 2018 Acta Via Serica Vol.3 No.2

The Silk Road tied the globe together for the first time by producing an early globalization phenomenon. Some consider that the ancient Silk Road disintegrated around the $18^{th}$ century CE due to the fall of the Muslim empires and the kingdoms between Asia and Europe. However, the maritime trade among East Asia and the Spanish dominion on the American continent reactivated the ancient Silk Road on some levels, and maintained trade dynamics until the $19^{th}$ century. This was possible because of Mexican silver and trade spots. Notwithstanding its historical background, Mexico seems so far away from the new Silk Road, or the Belt and Road Initiative in the $21^{st}$ century. Thus, this paper analyzes Mexico's historic and current role concerning the Silk Road. First, I conceptualize and compare the ancient Silk Road and Belt and Road Initiative through the lens of complex interdependence theory. I propose that, unlike the ancient Silk Road, the Belt and Road Initiative is a case of an induced complex interdependence. Second, I study the Manila Galleons' dynamics in order to trace the ancient ties with the Silk Road. I emphasize Mexican silver's contribution to East Asian economies and the importance of Mexico's role in the East Asia-Spanish trade. Consequently, I analyze Mexico's position in the Belt and Road Initiative. Finally, I present some concluding remarks about Mexico's role in the Silk Road.