Maritime Silk Road

Maritime Silk Road
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Highlights

The Maritime Silk Road was a conduit for trade and cultural exchange between China\'s south-eastern coastal areas and foreign countries.

The Maritime Silk Road was a conduit for trade and cultural exchange between China's south-eastern coastal areas and foreign countries. There were two major routes: the East China Sea Silk Route and the South China Sea Silk Route . Through the maritime Silk Road, silks, china, tea, and brass and iron were the four main categories exported; while spices, flowers and plants, and rare treasures for the court were brought to China.

The East China Sea Silk Route mainly went to Japan and Korea. The South China Sea Silk Route was an important conduit for China's exchanges with the outside world and it led the opening of new sea lanes to Southeast Asia, Malacca, the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea and the continent of Africa.

The Maritime Silk Road initiative was first proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping during a speech to the Indonesian Parliament in October, 2013. In November 2014, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced plans to create a $40 billion fund to develop the Maritime Silk Road. China has accelerated its drive to draw Africa into the MSR by speedy construction of a modern standard-gauge rail link between Nairobi and Mombasa.

The MSR aims to reach Europe, originating from cities on China’s southeastern coast and using a system of linked ports and infrastructure projects. The planned sea route begins in Fuzhou, China and goes via Vietnam, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and East Africa. Along the African coast, China plans to develop ports in Kenya, Djibouti, Tanzania, and Mozambique. The MSR would then continue from the African coast into the Red Sea and through the Suez canal to the Mediterranean.

After passing Athens, the road terminates in Venice, where it joins the land-based 'belt' route. (The land-based route will start from the Chinese city of Xi’an, traveling through Central Asia, West Asia, and the Middle East, before reaching Europe and ending in Venice). China plans to offer low-cost financing to participating countries to help enable the infrastructure development required.

However, a number of factors pose a threat to the project, including wars, territorial disputes, and concerns over China's growing geopolitical power. Regional concerns include the crisis in Ukraine, territorial disputes in the South China Sea, and a border contention between India and China.

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