"The Grat Silk Road" and Its Role in Ensuring Eurasian Integration
Students Name: Kaushanska Uliana Volodymyrivna
Qualification Level: magister
Speciality: International Relations
Institute: Institute of the Humanities and Social Sciences
Mode of Study: part
Academic Year: 2020-2021 н.р.
Language of Defence: ukrainian
Abstract: Kaushanska U.V. , Demchyshak R. B. (supervisor). ""The Great Silk Road" and its role in ensuring Eurasian integration". Master’s thesis. - Lviv Polytechnic National University, Lviv, 2020. Extended abstract. In the modern world, with the development of economic globalization and regional integration, China has advanced the ambitious concept of the «Great Silk Road», which consists of two megaprojects - the «Economic Belt of the Silk Road» and the «21st Century Maritime Silk Road». The strategic initiative for the formation of the «Silk Road Economic Belt» together with the Central Asian countries was first announced by President Xi Jinping on 16 September 2013 at the Nazarbayev University during a visit to Kazakhstan[1]. In general, the master’s qualification work demonstrates how the Chinese initiative "Great Silk Road" affects the integration process in Eurasia. Study object - the Chinese project "Great Silk Road" in the system of international cooperation. Scope of research - the project "Great Silk Road" as a factor in establishing interaction between sovereign states and international organizations in the system of modern Eurasian integration processes. Goal of research: to characterize the "Great Silk Road" project as a priority of modern Chinese domestic and international policy, as well as to identify possible integration ties with Russia, Central Asian states and projects such as the EEA and the SCO. Briefly put research results. Over time, the Chinese «One Belt - One Road» initiative began to attract a wider range of countries, and the initiative itself began to be filled with new content. This initiative has become the main state strategy of the fifth generation of Chinese leaders, which aims to address both internal and external challenges to China’s development. China views this concept as a global initiative to promote economic development. The real essence of the concept is primarily to overcome the imbalance of China’s economy, and also to create a new mechanism to promote mutually beneficial cooperation between countries through the concept "Great Silk Road" [2]. Russia, located in Eurasia, is an important partner of China and an integral part of the «One Belt - One Road» strategy. The master’s thesis analyzes Russia’s participation in the Chinese initiative "One Belt - One Road" and concludes that active cooperation between Russia and China can bring great economic dividends and strengthen traditional positions in the region. Despite the fact that there are potential possibilities of Sino-Russian cooperation within the framework of the concept «One Belt - One Way», scepticism and fears have been expressed about the new Chinese concept in international scientific and political circles, as the two countries in their strategic directions seek absolute power in the region. The hegemony of China or Russia will lead to a conflict of interest, which will significantly worsen relations. The methodological basis of the thesis was the interstate approach (Stanley Hoffman) as a modern version of the theory of the pluralistic model of integration, according to which the main element of the integration process is determined by state interests [3]. The mechanisms of implementation of Eurasian integration processes include the activities of international organizations - the SCO and the Eurasian Economic Union [4]. Today, the intensification of cooperation between the Eurasian countries within the SCO and the Eurasian Economic Union is influenced by the intercontinental project "Great Silk Road". Despite the official support of international organizations for the "Great Silk Road" concept, their participating countries are aware that the project should be approached very carefully: after all, China, through its own initiative, seeks to expand in the region. According to the results, it can be concluded that in modern realities, the "Great Silk Road" brand is actively used by various forces for a specific purpose - the geopolitical competition for Central Asia has begun [5]. As part of the Great Silk Road concept, China is already taking concrete steps to develop cooperation with the countries of the region. Оn the one hand, at the same time, the Chinese strategy must take into account the economic benefits for all its member states. On the other hand, Central Asian nations need to be aware that they are still at risk: they need to fear China’s trade and economic supremacy. The reactivation of the Great Silk Road is of great strategic importance for China’s economic development, regional prosperity and global economic balance and stability. There’s a reason that the Chinese concept has attracted close attention both domestically and internationally. Keywords: «One Belt - One Road», the «Silk Road Economic Belt», the «XXI century Maritime Silk Road», strategic directions, strategic initiative, megaproject, international cooperation. References. 1. Speech by President Xi Jinping at Nazarbayev University (full text) [Electronicresource] / Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Kazakhstan. September 16, 2013. Mode of access: http://kz.chineseembassy.org/rus/zhgx/t1077192.htm 2. Zhao, Hong. China’s New Maritime Silk Road: Implications and Opportunities for Southeast Asia /Trends in Southeast Asia, – 2015, No. 3, – pp. 4-5 , 13-17. 3. Chechurina M.N. International integration and international organizations Murmansk: publisher: Moscow State Technical University, 2012. - 269 p. 4. Luzyanin S.G. From sea to sea? The Great Silk Road [Electronicresource] / Russian Council for International Affairs. Section: Multipolar world. – 2015. – Mode of access: http://russiancouncil.ru/inner/?id_4=5129#top-content 5. Arase, David. China’s Two Silk Roads Initiative: What It Means for Southeast Asia // Southeast Asian Affairs, Vol. – 2016, – p. 32-35