Great Eurasia and the New Silk Road: problems and prospects for synergy

Abstract

The formation of the megaproject ‘Big Eurasia' and its correlation with the Chinese initiative of the New Silk Road are considered. The evaluation of the achieved level of Russian-Chinese cooperation in the transport and logistics area is given. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a possible link between the ‘Chinese initiative' and the Eurasian Economic Union. The author points out that the following aspect remains fundamentally unclear in the meaning of ‘Greater Eurasia' - to what extent China is interested in cooperation with Russia in the implementation of Plans for the project ‘One belt and one road', and Russia - in cooperation with China. In addition, several other questions are important: which place in the new Chinese-Russian initiatives can belong to 1) the Eurasian Economic Union, 2) Central Asia in general, and 3) the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Moscow promoted and promotes the Eurasian Economic Union for these purposes, Beijing is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, where the positions of the PRC are exceptionally strong and where Pakistan joined, thereby enhancing Beijing's attraction among the possible corridors of the New Silk Road. The principal position of the Russian Federation is that the SCO should continue to adhere to its original mission to ensure cooperation in the military-political field, while the PRC explicitly strives to give the organization an economic dimension, making it the basis for a free trade zone.