Victoria University of Wellington participates in Chinese Think Tank Forum
The New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre joined Think Tanks from more than 20 countries in Guangzhou to flesh out proposals for building China’s 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.
The Maritime Silk Road is a Chinese initiative to develop collaborative development projects in South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific by investing in infrastructure, trade promotion, economic connectivity and people and cultural exchanges. It complements the land-based Silk Road Economic Belt that together form the ‘One Belt One Road’ (OBOR) initiative put forward by President Xi Jinping in 2013.
Dr. Jason Young, a Research Fellow at the NZCCRC, argued ‘The Silk Road is China’s most ambitious foreign policy initiative to date’. ‘It will have a profound impact on trade and connectivity in the region, including in the Pacific where China has already become a major provider of development assistance, loans and tourists.’
‘It makes sense for New Zealand to engage in this initiative to ensure we have a voice at the table.’
With over twenty think tanks from the region represented, including from Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand, the Silk Road Forum provided an opportunity to put forward ideas and raise concerns with Chinese officials and researchers and to learn more about the projects taking shape.
Panels at the Forum engaged in discussion over questions of strategic trust, economic trade and cooperation, humanities exchanges and maritime cooperation.
Dr. Young argued ‘New Zealand has much to offer the initiative, especially in the areas of agricultural development, innovation and trade policy as well as with its considerable experience in the Pacific.’
‘There is scope to revisit existing cooperation activities with China, such as agricultural and science partnerships, and potentially expand those to the regional level. Negotiations to upgrade the FTA could be a good opportunity to discuss broadening cooperation in this area.’
The delegation also visited a number of sites in the Nansha Pilot Free Trade Zone, agreed to meet annually and to work toward cooperative research on the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiative.
The China (Guangdong) International Think Tank Forum of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road was hosted by the Silk Road Think Tank Association and the Collaborative Innovation Center for 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Studies at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies on 10 May 2016. The NZCCRC became a member of the Think Tank Forum earlier this year.