The New Maritime Silk Road, A Historic Choice

The concept of a 21st century Maritime Silk Road was initiated by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to the ASEAN region in October 2013. President Xi proposed the strategy creatively, considering both the history of the region and its future against the current global climate. The New Maritime Silk Road and the New Silk Road Economic Belt together construct an important pillar of the Chinese dream of rejuvenating the nation. The idea of the New Maritime Silk Road has a profound historical background; but it is the optimum choice for the future.

Quanzhou is proactively promoting the establishment of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road pilot area.

The History of the Maritime Silk Road

China’s Maritime Silk Road dates back to the Qin and Han dynasties (221 BC – AD 220). According to the Book of Han (Hanshu), at that time, Chinese people were already departing from the ports at Xuwen and Hepu (in today’s Guangdong Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, respectively) to journey across the South China Sea for exploration. Voyage records on the trips still exist today.

The Maritime Silk Road had always played a pivotal role in economic and cultural communication between East and West. Constantly extended, the route became a golden passage of transportation and trade. Beginning at China’s southeastern coast and traversing the South China Sea, the course crossed the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf and extended as far as East Africa and Europe, forming a branching transportation network.

Among the abundant export commodities during the Sui (581-618) and Tang (618-907) dynasties, as its name suggests, silk was the main merchandise on the Silk Road; during the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties, porcelain became the primary export from China; during the Ming rule (1368-1644), Chinese tea was the most popular merchandise in trade along the route. During the Ming Dynasty, diplomat and navigator Zheng He (1371-1433) led seven expeditions to the Indian Ocean, pioneering peaceful diplomacy and global trade. The 2,000-year-old Maritime Silk Road is an unparalleled, intercontinental trade route and a symbol of China reaching out to the wider world.

The New Maritime Silk Road

The proposal of a 21st century Maritime Silk Road was born out of the demands of upgrading the ASEAN-China relationship, a requirement of the new round of reform and opening-up in China and a prerequisite for realizing a modern, global strategic layout.

An important transit hub along both the sea and land Silk Roads, Southeast Asia has always been essential to China’s international economic and trade cooperation, cultural exchanges and energy transport security. In November 2002, the Sixth China-ASEAN Summit was held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji and 10 ASEAN leaders signed the Framework Agreement on ASEAN-China Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and proposed to strengthen the cooperation of economy, trade and investment between the contracting parties. They also agreed on promoting the trade in merchandise and services, realizing trade liberalization gradually, and establishing a China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) by 2010.

On October 8, 2003, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and the leaders of 10 ASEAN member nations issued the landmark Joint Declaration of the Heads of State/Government of ASEAN and China on Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Bali, Indonesia, escalating bilateral ties to a higher level.

The construction of CAFTA was completed over a period of 10 years. During that time, economic and strategic ties between China and ASEAN have become closer. To deepen comprehensive economic cooperation, construct a closer community with common goals, promote economic development and improve the welfare of people in both China and ASEAN, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the concept of the New Maritime Silk Road.