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Belts, Roads, and Modern Colonialism
When the word “colonialism” comes to mind, one usually imagines the era of exploration when Great Britain, Portugal, and others conquered new territories, declaring them as their own. To many, colonialism is something that happened decades, even centuries ago, and when asked about modern colonialism, Russia’s annexing of Crimea might be the only thing that comes to mind. In reality, however, colonialism is alive and well, and China’s Belt and Road Initiative is at the forefront of this dangerous trend.
Colonialism under the guise of infrastructure investment
China purports that the goal of the Belt and Road Initiative, started in 2013 by President Xi Jinping, is to create a modern Silk Road and improve interregional cooperation in over 65 countries. According to the World Bank, these countries make up over 30% of global GDP, so it is no wonder that China is interested in promoting cooperation. On the surface, it appears that this initiative could result in impressive economic opportunities for many developing nations that would otherwise not be able to participate in the rapidly globalizing economy. Upon further inspection, however, China’s motives may not be as sanctimonious as initially believed.
