15.12.14

Of China's Silk Road Economic Belt plan....

China is confident that its Silk Road Economic Belt plan has basically taken shape although India which is a crucial link in the programme has not yet agreed to join it. Chinese leaders are still persuading India to join it.
“The Silk Road Economic Belt will be characterized by openness and reciprocity, and China welcomes all sides’ participation in the plan and sharing of the benefits,” Chinese vice foreign minister Cheng Guoping said. The statement comes ahead of vice premier Li Keqiang’s upcoming tour to Kazakhstan and Thailand where he will push for infrastructure projects connected with the programme. He will also attend the meeting of the prime ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organization countries. China is also trying to enlist SCO’s support for its programme.
The Silk Road belt initiative involves building road, rail and industrial infrastructure connecting countries in the ancient Silk Road. Besides South Asia, China is trying to link countries in Central, Europe and Russia. Kazakhstan which can give China a passage to Eurasia has come forward with the proposal of linking its own development projects with the Silk Road plan hopes to link their own development plan.
Cheng said there are many advantages to China-Kazakhstan cooperation which include a joint-venture logistics base to enhance connectivity in the areas of highways, railways, ports, air routes, and oil and gas pipelines.
The Chinese premier will put forward “practical measures” to boost cooperation among the SCO members on security, trade, investment, finance, agriculture, infrastructure, and people-to-people exchanges, with a view to the long-term development of the bloc.

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