Geopolitical implications of the new Silk Road

Svilne poti že dve tisočletji krojijo usodo ljudstev in držav, skozi katere potekajo. Ko je bila Kitajska na teh poteh vodilna, je bila bogata in varna, kadar pa je osrednjo vlogo izgubila, je padla v nemilost zavojevalcev in razmah notranjih problemov. S ponovno vrnitvijo najstarejše nepretrgane civilizacije na svoje zgodovinsko mesto imanentne velesile bo Ljudska republika Kitajska v današnjem času poskušala obuditi antično veličino svilnih poti s pobudo »En pas, ena pot«. V tej nalogi so predstavljeni argumenti, da se za na prvi pogled nedolžnim infrastrukturnim projektom »En pas, ena pot« skrivajo značilnosti geopolitične strategije in vzvodi moči rivalstva velikih sil. Kljub deklariranim ciljem infrastrukturnega povezovanja in gospodarskega sodelovanja postaja razvidno, da so ti cilji drugotnega pomena. Peking bo skozi proučevani projekt naslovil veliko perečih varnostnih, gospodarskih in političnih vprašanj tako znotraj države kot izven nje. To so predvsem vprašanja energetske varnosti, nagrajevanja političnih zaveznikov, pridobivanja časa za reformo in subvencioniranja svojega gospodarstva, iskanja alternativnih poti za trgovanje ter mnoga druga. Ob tem bo poskušal vzpostaviti nove institucije in zavezništva, ki bodo imele značilnosti vzporednega svetovnega reda. Pri tem mu bodo pot prekrižale tekmice, ki bodo na določenih področjih pragmatično sodelovale, na drugih pa nudile srdit odpor. Projekt se razteza čez celotni afro-evrazijski superkontinent, zato magistrska naloga regije in celine smiselno ločuje in obravnava v okviru kulturnih, političnih in interesnih ločnic projekta »En pas, ena pot«. Od uspešnosti projekta ni odvisna samo prihodnost Ljudske republike Kitajske, temveč usoda celotnega svetovnega reda.Silk roads have for millennia shaped the fate of states and nations through which they passed. In the ages in which China played a central role in those connections, it was prosperous and secure, while when it didn\u27t, it fell to invaders and internal strife. With the return of the oldest uninterrupted civilization to its rightful place of great power, the People\u27s Republic of China will seek to revive the ancient Silk roads with its new Belt and Road Initiative. This thesis will attempt to prove that behind the façade of an infrastructure project lies a set of characteristics associated with geopolitical strategy and levers of great power rivalry. The declared intentions of infrastructural connectivity and economic cooperation are in truth only of secondary importance. Through this initiative, Beijing will primarily seek to remedy many of its external and internal problems related to security, economics, and politics. These problems include energy security, establishing spheres of influence, buying time for economic reform, subsidizing its economy, alternatives to maritime export dependency and many others. While solving these problems, Beijing will attempt to build institutions and alliances alongside the initiative, which are slowly taking the shape of a parallel world order of the future. While trying to accomplish its goals, Beijing will cross paths with its geopolitical rivals, who will pragmatically cooperate with it in some areas while opposing it in others. The project spans throughout the Afro-Eurasian supercontinent, and as such, this thesis divides the project\u27s geographydown the lines of culture, politics and interests. The initiative\u27s success will decide more than just the fate of the People\u27s Republic of China but the future of the entire world order