《Creating Megatrends：The Belt and Road》：
On a global scale China presents B&R as part: of a "democratizationof intemational relations" and the transition from a westem dominatedeconomic and political framework to a multipolar economic and politicalorder in which China plays an adequate role at the core of global affairsand a leading role in emerging economies.
The Belt and Road (B&R) will become an engine for China'sgrowth, and it will feed the demand of developing neighbors andprovide infrastructure for the regions along its routes. The aim is tocreate an efficient, sustained road, rail and shipping network betweenChina, Asia, Europe, Africa, and, in the longer-term extension, Latin America. One goal is to shorten the time of bulk consumer goods' transports to Europe. It is expected to cut overland travel from Beijing to London to just two days, a trip that in 2016 took 15 days.
Given the comprehensive impact of such an initiative it is no surprise that it does not only face enthusiastic and positive but also critical and even hostile reactions. As we already wrote, it involves economic, political, and geopolitical considerations and strategies.
There are not only wide-ranging differences in political systems, histories, cultures, religions and ideologies, but also different ideas and approaches in how to deal with contemporary economic and social matters. Some countries along the different routes are in unstable political and/or economic conditions. The key to stability will be to operate on a common denominator that allows connecting and cooperating as well as keeping enough space to pay attention to autonomous needs. While China without doubt is the initiator and
driver of B&R, its affirmation to create partnerships on par with all
countries involved will help to calm down skepticism and create trust.
According to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the total amount of merchandise traded globally in 2015 reached $16.5 trillion.
What will be the impact of the new trading routes, which will embrace 62.55 percent of the world's population and 28.6 percent of the world's GDP? This is a question that the govemments and businesses of all countries will need to answer in the near future, because this new trade route is being built, and it will usher in a new world trade order,all at a time when global trade has slowed from the 7 percent annual growth it reached prior to the 2008 financial crisis, to 1.5 percent in 2015 and 2016.
Looking back at three decades of South and North East Asia economic development, the share of manufacturing in GDP rose above 25 percent in South East Asia and 30 percent in North East Asia. In the tail of the rapid gTowth of manufacturing, the employment rate and productivity rose, as well.
At the same time, improvements were made in the skills of workers, by better training of management and the expertise and efforts of increasingly global thinking entrepreneurs. But despite all the achievements, export-processing trade has declined. China's total exports fell to minus 1.8 in 2015 and minus 2 percent in 2016 (GACC, General Administration of Customs of China) .
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