Workshop on "One Belt One Road: China's pivot towards China"

Gepubliseerd op 12.09.2016

On 12 September (Monday), Centre for East Asia Studies Groningen (CEASG) and Groningen Confucius Institute (GCI) jointly held the workshop themed ‘ One Belt One Road: China's pivot towards Europe' in the Groningen University. This workshop sets out to critically evaluate the role of One Belt One Road (OBOR), a development initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jingping in September and October 2013 with the purpose to contribute to the collaboration and connection between China and Eurasia, in the China-EU relation from the perspectives of economics and politics. In accordance with this aim, 11 speakers from top universities in China (Tsinghua University and Shanghai International Studies University), Korea (Pusan National University) and Netherlands (Groningen University and Leiden University), who specialize in the studies in such relevant domains as international relations and Asia and Middle East studies, presented their findings from different angles, based on their empirical and non-empirical research.

Experts from all over the world

This workshop was broken down into three sessions: OBOR and its strategic implications, OBOR and the European Union, and OBOR and the Netherlands. With regard to the topics of these sessions, such assorted issues were addressed as the opportunities offered by OBOR for EU members, the inherent complexities and ambiguities of this initiative, and the possible implications of OBOR for Netherlands. Overviewing these speeches, it can be observed that an overwhelming consensus was reached that in terms of solutions to the challenges posed by OBOR, collaboration, connectivity, understanding, tolerance and peace are of paramount importance in the effective promotion and successful application of OBOR. In the meantime, these issues, especially controversial ones such as South Sea disputes and China's intention of building infrastructure in Africa, sparked heated discussion among attendees.

Attendees were listening attentively to a speaker