Abe offers conditional cooperation with China's Silk Road initiative
China is probably laughing at this.
The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road, also called The Belt and The Road in short, uses the name "Silk Road" because of its historic significance. The Silk Road linked China to India and Europe in the past. This led to the flourishing of trade and culture along the route. And historically, China has held influence (big or small, depending on China's domestic situation at each point in history) over states along the route. China had always sought to maintain security along the route, for the benefit of the trade and its positive effects on China's economy.
So naming this new initiative "Silk Road" is a blatant way of saying that it is for China's benefit, and it is going to be a way for China to influence nations along the route (actually, two routes; one land, one maritime). And in the past, states not directly on the route could still benefit indirectly if they bowed down to China. Japan was no exception; when relations were fine with China, Japan was able to obtain goods from Europe and India that came through the Silk Road to China.
Make no mistake: the new initiative is for China's benefit. Not solely; if you happen to be along the route, you will benefit too. But if you are not on the route, and you want in, you will only be included if it is to China's benefit. That is to say, you can only get in if you bring something to the table that China wants (like in the old days, when vassal states brought tribute to the Chinese emperor). So unless Japan can bring something that China can't resist (maybe some of the rare metals that they just found off Chiba)... well, China will just look at Japan and laugh.
China is probably laughing at this.
The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road, also called The Belt and The Road in short, uses the name "Silk Road" because of its historic significance. The Silk Road linked China to India and Europe in the past. This led to the flourishing of trade and culture along the route. And historically, China has held influence (big or small, depending on China's domestic situation at each point in history) over states along the route. China had always sought to maintain security along the route, for the benefit of the trade and its positive effects on China's economy.
So naming this new initiative "Silk Road" is a blatant way of saying that it is for China's benefit, and it is going to be a way for China to influence nations along the route (actually, two routes; one land, one maritime). And in the past, states not directly on the route could still benefit indirectly if they bowed down to China. Japan was no exception; when relations were fine with China, Japan was able to obtain goods from Europe and India that came through the Silk Road to China.
Make no mistake: the new initiative is for China's benefit. Not solely; if you happen to be along the route, you will benefit too. But if you are not on the route, and you want in, you will only be included if it is to China's benefit. That is to say, you can only get in if you bring something to the table that China wants (like in the old days, when vassal states brought tribute to the Chinese emperor). So unless Japan can bring something that China can't resist (maybe some of the rare metals that they just found off Chiba)... well, China will just look at Japan and laugh.
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