PRESS RELEASE
Shanghai Conference Discusses New Model of Development
Dec. 11, 2016 (EIRNS)—The Shanghai Institute for International Studies (SIIS) and the Dialogue of Civilizations Research Institute (DOC) held a joint seminar on Dec. 8 in Shanghai themed: "At the Confluence of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the Eurasian Economic Union: Transnational Development on the Eurasian Continent." The DOC website reports that
"The main subjects under discussion were the prospects for implementing mega-infrastructure projects as part of the Eurasian Economic Union, One Belt One Road initiatives, identifying key trends in the creation of a single economic space, establishing socio-economic infrastructure, and developing human capital."
Dr. Vladimir Yakunin, co-founder of the DOC, posed two differing concepts about globalization—the current neoliberal paradigm of "global governance, such as the International Monetary Fund, the Federal Reserve, and even the UN," or that currently led by China’s growing involvement in the world economy, based on development, through the Silk Road. The former, he said, has been rendered "defunct" by the latter.
Yakunin "also considered the potential for the U.S. Presidential election results to impact the current dominant model of U.S.-led globalization, due to President Elect Donald Trump’s reluctance to intervene in other states’ affairs," the website reported.
But Yakunin stressed that "key elements of the system ... cannot be described as under China’s control," adding that China "should not be left to take up this burden of global leadership alone, given the substantial financial-economic resources required."
Yakunin promoted the convergence of the Silk Road and the Eurropean Economic Union (EAEU), posing the question:
"How do we make sure that the simultaneous development of these different centres of growth leads to synergy, not conflict? The Silk Road Economic Belt and the Eurasian Economic Union may yet show us the way."
Li Xin, Professor at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies and a member of the Supervisory Board of DOC, noted that China is a
"proponent of the New Silk Road and Sea Silk Road [i.e., Maritime Silk Road] initiatives as ways to ensure we do not fall into the static trap of becoming overly reliant on an established understanding of spheres of interests and alliances that fundamentally limit the development of new growing economies,"
the website reported. He also noted that there is
"potential for the Silk Road Economic Belt and the Eurasian Economic Union collaboration to take place under the auspices of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)."
