KONG DEKUN The Concept of Greater Eurasian Partnership and “One Belt and One Road” Initiative
DOI 10.35775/PSI.2019.32.2.011
KONG DEKUN Post-graduate student at the Chair of political sciences of the Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok, Russiа
THE CONCEPT OF GREATER EURASIAN PARTNERSHIP AND “ONE BELT AND ONE ROAD”INITIATIVE
Today, the world is in the midst of a tremendous change. The concept of the “Great Eurasian Partnership” is an attempt by Russia to go beyond the framework of traditional foreign policy thinking focused on the USA and the West, the result of a breakthrough, as well as a diplomatic direction, a strategy of economic development in the new conditions. Connecting the concept with the initiative of international cooperation “One Belt and One Road” is one of the key factors for its implementation.
Key words: “Great Eurasian Partnership”, “One Belt and One Road”, conjugation of strategies, Sino-Russian relations.
Today the world is in the midst of colossal changes: the rise of China, the recovering economy of Russia, the depletion of the potential of the liberal model of development of the West, the imbalance and inequality in development. All this leads to the establishment of relations between the major powers and the reorganization of the world order. Developed countries need new and more favorable rules for themselves, since the old global economic rules can no longer meet the needs of developed countries.The globalization participants demand a fairer and more rational trade order and are actively involved in creating a new global economic order. Competition between developed countries, the United States and Europe, as well as new powers, such as China and Russia, are inevitable. Countries and regions have their own plans for responding to the current situation. The concept of the “Great Eurasian Partnership” and “One Belt and One Road” are the initiatives of international cooperation proposed by Russia and China to respond to changes in the international economic situation in the new environment.
The works of Russian and foreign authors [1; 4; 10], published in recent years, cover a wide range of issues in this subject area.
1.1. The initiative “One Belt and One Road”: the China concept of international cooperation.
In September – October 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping launched the “One Belt and One Road” International Cooperation Initiative. In recent years, this initiative has been adopted and supported by an increasing number of countries and international organizations. The initiative of international cooperation “One Belt and One Road” has different internal meanings not only for China, but also for international partners.
The “One Belt and One Road” Initiative is very important for China. China's reform and opening up policy has entered a new era, it is necessary to promote economic and social development with new methods. In addition, it is necessary to coordinate economic, political, cultural, social and eco-civilizational construction. Firstly, “One Belt and One Road” based on openness refers to the economic and social development of the country and the region. From the point of view of the world economy, the concept is based on the country and regions and is aimed at the resolution of social and economic problems. Secondly, after 40 years of reform and opening up, China’s economy is largely integrated into the global and regional economies, rapprochement with the global economy has been achieved, synchronous development with the regional economies and synergetic development became the main principle [9].
For the world community, “The Belt and One Road” is an initiative of international cooperation released by China. The main starting point is promotion of regional economic development by strengthening cooperation with neighboring countries and regions in the areas of construction of infrastructure, production capacities, progressive facilitation of trade and creation of development opportunities and conditions for China and its partners. The main principle of cooperation is mutual benefit, common development and common prosperity. The main method of implementing joint projects is joint consultations, joint construction and joint use.
To this end, it is necessary to strengthen political communication between the governments and close contacts between people. It is worth noting that the Chinese government, standing up for the joint construction of the “One Belt and One Road,” fully takes into account the interests of its partners and does not pursue maximization of personal interests, striving for mutual benefit. China does not unilaterally sell goods and production facilities to its partners by building “Belt and Road,” but is seeking a bilateral campaign to sell Chinese goods, technologies and capital to foreign countries, moreover, it welcomes and creates conditions for attracting foreign capital, technologies, goods and services to China. China is ready to share its development experience with the countries of the world, but will not interfere in their public affairs, will not export social systems or development models, will not impose them on others. We will promote the construction of “One Belt and One Road,” thus we will not repeat the old strategies. In this regard, “The Belt and the Road” initiative is understood, accepted and supported by an increasing number of countries, the number of participants is increasing daily.
1. The concept of the “Great Eurasian Partnership” is a new strategy for responding to the global change in Russia.
The October Revolution and the collapse of the Soviet Union were two greatest events of the 20th century. The collapse of the Soviet Union caused fundamental changes in the geopolitical situation in the world.
A prerequisite for the revival of Russia is the implementation of integration in the post-Soviet space. After many difficulties, in 2015, the Eurasian Economic Union received an official launch and achieved concrete results in the process of implementing the integration of the post-Soviet space. The world economic environment is difficult to imagine without the development of Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union within the framework of economic globalization. The developed countries stand for the development of new economic rules that are beneficial for them, but Russia is excluded from the list of drafters. As a former power, Russia cannot accept the reality of such exclusion.
A large Eurasian partnership is an important concept of cooperation put forward by Russia in the new situation, which can be called a joint initiative. This concept was first proposed by a Russian scientist Sergey Karaganov in an interview published in Rossiyskaya Gazeta under the title “Chinese wind blows into our sails” on May 31, 2015 [3]. Karaganov made it clear that China and Russia are creating a new community – Greater Eurasia, in order to define a new type of partnership between China and Russia and interpret the content of Greater Eurasia. This bold idea did not attract the attention of the scientific community at the beginning, because for Russia the most important thing is to realize an economic integration of the post-Soviet space. The so-called post-Soviet space, often called the Eurasia, can only be “Eurasia in the narrow sense.”
In December 2015, in his message on the situation in the country, President Vladimir Putin noted: “I propose, together with colleagues from the Eurasian Economic Union, to begin consultations with the members of the SCO and ASEAN, as well as with the states that join the SCO, on the formation of a possible economic partnership [5]. In May 2016, during the meeting of the heads of the delegations participating in the Russia-ASEAN summit, Vladimir Putin said: “it is necessary to create in perspective a common free trade zone between the Eurasian Union and ASEAN as a whole.” Another promising area of regional economic integration could be the conjunction of the Eurasian Economic Union, the ASEAN Community, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Silk Road Economic Belt [8]. Also the Sochi Declaration, signed at the same time, clearly stated: “Consider the possibility of mutually beneficial cooperation between ASEAN, the EAEU and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)” and “the prospects for creating a comprehensive free trade zone between the EAEU and ASEAN [6]”.
If the successful activity of the Eurasian Economic Union, headed by Russia, opens up the process of Euro-Asian integration, the proposal to create a relationship of a large Eurasian partnership indicates that the Russian economic and diplomatic strategy to “turn to the East” has already been formed. It should be noted that the so-called “turn to the East” is not just a turn to China, Japan and South Korea, it focuses on the entire Asia-Pacific region and focuses on cooperation with China, ASEAN countries and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member countries. Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union are jointly developing cooperation with countries and regions of the Asia-Pacific region.
2. Chinese-Russian cooperation aimed at conjunction goes to a new economic partnership.
It was China that was the first to respond to the Russian initiative “The Great Eurasian Partnership.” The Joint Statement [7] noted: “Russia and China are in favor of creating a Eurasian comprehensive partnership based on the principles of openness, transparency and consideration of mutual interests, including the possible involvement of the member countries of the EAEU, SCO and ASEAN. In this regard, the heads of state instructed the governments of the two countries to work through the competent agencies and propose measures to implement this initiative in order to facilitate the deepening of integration processes in the region”.
We focus on several important principles: 1. The basis for creating the Eurasian partnership is openness, transparency and consideration for mutual interests. 2. The main participants in the initial period are China-Russia, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the ASEAN member states. 3. The goal of the Eurasian Partnership is to deepen regional integration.
Thus, both countries will seek further expansion of bilateral trade exchanges, devoting themselves to creating a fairer, more transparent and convenient trading and investment environment for joint promotion of regional economic development.
Cooperation between China and Russia in the process of building a Eurasian economic partnership determines the perspective of this process. Chinese and Russian scientists and experts reached a consensus on some basic principles in the consultation process on the Eurasian partnership (or the “Greater Eurasian Partnership” or the “Eurasian Economic Partnership”), namely: sovereign equality, non-interference in internal affairs, respect for the country's development options, respect for the national cultural traditions, tolerance, mutual learning and mutual benefit.
According to the consensus reached and the “One Belt and One Road” principle, the future Eurasian Economic Partnership will follow the rules of the multilateral trade of the World Trade Organization and will facilitate trade and investments; strengthen the construction of transport infrastructure, create regional cross-border transport corridors; strengthen energy cooperation and environmental protection; promote the development of agricultural cooperation; explore cooperation in the field of scientific and technological innovation. The construction of the Eurasian economic partnership should also be based on the principle of mutual cooperation, joint construction and joint use. The results of the consultations should ensure growth and motivation for the development of the countries and regions. Only in this way can countries achieve mutual benefit, common development and mutual prosperity.
In the process of establishing or forming an economic partnership, the development of interfacing strategies between China and Russia is a key element. China and Russia, the Eurasian Economic Union and ASEAN are three important economies. The development of a combination of strategies between China and the Eurasian Economic Union, led by Russia, will lead to the creation of a Eurasian economic partnership. This is due not only to the fact that China is more likely to negotiate and discuss partnership issues with Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union. The creation of a Eurasian economic partnership cannot go smoothly, there may be unexpected difficulties and unforeseen problems.
First, Russia is concerned that China’s vast economy will influence the integration process of the Eurasian Economic Union, the competitiveness of the Chinese goods will put an enormous economic pressure on the economy of the Eurasian Economic Union and delay the speed of cooperation between the two sides. After the expansion of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, controversies between China and India, India and Pakistan may force internal cooperation and advisory mechanisms to face the challenge. In recent years, negotiations between China and Russia, as well as between China and the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on the creation of a free trade zone have been very difficult. However, there are favorable conditions for establishing a Eurasian economic partnership between China and Russia. First, Russia recognizes the importance and indispensability of China’s participation. These two countries have sufficient aspirations and wisdom in this regard. Secondly, the economic complementarity between China and Russia is very strong, including the complementarity of resources, markets, technology, product structure, etc. This complementarity can be a huge potential for the mutually beneficial cooperation. Thirdly, China and Russia have perfect mechanisms for consultations and meetings.
Fourthly, there are points of convergence between the development strategies of the two countries, especially in terms of developing regional strategies, such as the development of the Russian Far East and the revival of China's Dongbei.
Since the beginning of 2014, thanks to the development of energy strategies of the two countries, Russia has become the largest importer of oil to China. China has made significant progress in diversifying energy imports. Russia has successfully opened the Asia-Pacific energy market: in the area of regional cooperation, Russia was somewhat worried that the construction of the “Silk Road Economic Belt” would affect the prospects of the Siberian railway. Now Primorye-1 and Primorye-2 make the transport infrastructure of the Russian Far East an important link in the Asia-Pacific region, increase Russia's influence on the economic development of the Asia-Pacific region, and at the same time provide new ideas for the development of the Far East.
Thus, the existing political and economic relations between China and the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union, the level of business cooperation between China and the ASEAN countries, the reality of cooperation between Russia and the ASEAN countries make us believe in the prospect of the conjugation of “One Belt and One Road” with the Eurasian partnership. The implementation of the integration of the Greater Eurasian Partnership (Eurasian Partnership, Eurasian Economic Partnership) with the initiative “One Belt and One Road” is quite possible. The most important part of this process is the Sino-Russian negotiations on the Eurasian economic partnership.
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