China’s lofty ambition to revive its ancient silk road trading routes is now becoming a reality. When complete, One Belt, One Road (OBOR), or the Maritime Silk Road as it is more commonly known, will connect China via rail and shipping links with major markets in the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa.
Billions of dollars in new rail, shipping and airport infrastructure are underway in dozens of countries including Egypt, Djibouti and Kenya who are among a small group of African countries that are expected to benefit most from OBOR.
While most countries welcome the Chinese investment and inclusion in Beijing’s trading network, there is mounting concern as to whether will actually be able to pull off such a large, complex undertaking. Furthermore, in some ways, OBOR is also reminiscent of Britain’s old imperial trading network that was designed to extract natural resources from its colonial outposts and then sell back finished goods to these markets.
Shannon Tiezzi is the Managing Editor of the Asian affairs online news magazine The Diplomat and has been following OBOR’s development, particularly in Africa. She joins Eric & Cobus to discuss the global implications of OBOR and its impact in Africa.
Show notes:
- The Diplomat: Xi’s Visit Cements Egypt’s Place on the ‘Belt and Road’ by Shannon Tiezzi
- The Diplomat: China Has ‘Reached Consensus’ With Djibouti on Military Base by Shannon Tiezzi
- The Financial Times: China’s Great Game: Road to a new empire by Charles Clover and Lucy Hornby
About Shannon Tiezzi:
Shannon Tiezzi is Managing Editor at The Diplomat. Shannon’s main focus is on China, and she writes on China’s foreign relations, domestic politics, and economy. Shannon previously served as a research associate at the U.S.-China Policy Foundation, where she hosted the weekly television show China Forum. She received her A.M. from Harvard University and her B.A. from The College of William and Mary. Shannon has also studied at Tsinghua University in Beijing.
