위기감 느낀 일대일로(一帶一路), 전략 수정하나? Xi Jinping says belt and road plan isn’t about creating a ‘China club’

Xi Jinping says belt and road plan isn’t about creating a ‘China club’

The remarks came after new Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad called off a major China-backed railway project last week

PUBLISHED : Monday, 27 August, 2018, 11:32pm

UPDATED : Tuesday, 28 August, 2018, 2:59pm

Catherine Wong

President Xi Jinping on Monday defended his new Silk Road plan, saying it was not about creating a “China club”, while calling for balanced trade with partner countries amid a growing backlash against his global infrastructure push

Yahoo News Singapore

위기감 느낀 일대일로(一帶一路), 전략 수정하나?    시진핑(習近平) 중국 국가주석이 “일대일로(一帶一路:육상·해상 실크로드)가 배타적인 ‘중국 클럽’을 결성하기 위한 것이 아니다”라고 강조했다. 일대일로를 겨냥해 ‘채권 제국주의’, ‘글로벌 패권주의’ 등 비난이 거세지자 중국 정부가 일부 전략적 궤도 수정에 나선 것 아니냐는 분석이다. 홍콩 사우스차이나모닝포스트(SCMP)에 따르면 시 주석은 지난 27일 베이징에서 열린 ‘일대일로 5주년 기념 좌담회’에서 “일대일로는 경제적인 협력 구상이지, 지정학적 또는 군사적 연대가 아니며, 개방적이고 포괄적인 협력방안으로 배타적인 중국 클럽 결성이 목적은 아니다”라고 거듭 강조했다. 중국은 일대일로 5년을 맞아 관영 매체를 동원해 대대적 홍보에 나서고 있다. 공산당 기관지인 인민일보(人民日報)는 이날 1면 톱 기사로 일대일로 5주년 좌담회 기사를 싣고, “2013년 9월 시 주석이 카자흐스탄 방문 당시 ‘실크로드 경제 벨트’ 건설 제안이 일대일로의 시작”이라며 지난 5년간 성과를 부각했다. 중국 정부는 “일대일로 구상을 통해 103개국 및 국제기구와 118건의 협력서를 체결했으며 지난 6월 기준으로 대외 직접투자액이 700억달러에 달한다”고 소개했다. 일대일로 구상은 ‘중국식’ 패권주의라는 우려가 커지면서 곳곳에서 제동이 걸리고 있다. 시 주석의 ‘중국 클럽’ 부인 발언은 중국 지도부가 국제사회의 비판을 인식하고 있다는 것을 반영한다. 중국 해양대학교 팡중잉(龐中英) 교수는 “일대일로는 국제사회의 엄청난 도전에 직면해 있다”며 “일대일로에 대한 수사의 톤을 낮추고 궤도 수정을 하겠다는 의도가 반영된 것”이라고 분석했다. 시 주석의 일대일로 구상은 중국 기업들의 대거 진출로 해당 국가의 산업이 자생력을 상실하고, 정부도 빚더미에 올라서면서 강력한 반발을 받고 있다. 최근 방중한 마하티르 모하메드 말레이시아 총리는 중국의 인프라 자금 투자를 거부했고, 파키스탄도 중국 대신 국제통화기금(IMF) 구제금융 신청을 검토하고 있다. 팡 교수는 “특히 미국과 무역전쟁을 벌이고 있는 가운데, 일대일로 주변 국가들의 반발이 심해지자 중국 정부는 일보 후퇴할 수밖에 없을 것”이라고 분석했다. 이우승 특파원 wslee@segye.com 세계일보(베이징)

edited by kcontents

Analysts said Xi’s remarks – made at a seminar in Beijing to mark the five-year anniversary of his signature “Belt and Road Initiative” – indicated that China was adjusting its tone and strategy to address rising concerns over its global ambitions and fears of “debt trap diplomacy”.

The comments came after new Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad called off a major China-backed railway project last week. The recent change in leadership in Pakistan could also see a potential pullback on agreements for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship, multibillion-dollar belt and road project.

“The Belt and Road Initiative is an economic cooperation initiative, not a geopolitical or military alliance,” Xi said at the seminar. “It is an open and inclusive process, and not about creating exclusive circles or a China club.”

 

Xi Jinping (centre) said the belt and road strategy “is an open and inclusive process”. Photo: Xinhua

The strategy aims to build a sprawling trade and infrastructure network spanning Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America. Over the last five years, China has invested more than US$60 billion in countries along the route, and trade volume between them has reached 5 trillion yuan (US$734.29 billion), Xi said, adding that more than 200,000 local jobs had been created in those countries.

Xi said the overall design of the plan had been finalised and Beijing now needed to fine-tune the details and build a comprehensive system to carry it out, with a focus on high-quality projects.

“We need to pay attention to providing fuel in snowy weather, prioritising the needs of the other party and implementing projects that will benefit the local people,” he said.

Xi also called for more efforts to achieve a “trade balance” with countries along the new Silk Road, and to strengthen risk prevention efforts.

Pang Zhongying, a foreign affairs specialist at the Ocean University of China, said Beijing was seeking to change tack and address growing fears worldwide that it is using the massive infrastructure push to gain political influence.

“China is facing enormous challenges with these reactions from the international community,” Pang said. “Xi’s speech shows that [the leadership] has reflected on these developments and has made adjustments … and is trying to tone down its rhetoric.”

The escalating trade conflict with the United States and uncertainties over its belt and road projects in important countries such as Malaysia and Pakistan have also pushed China to adjust its approach to the initiative, Pang said.

Moon Heung-ho, a professor at the Graduate School of International Studies at Hanyang University in Seoul, said China’s increasing clout remained a big worry for other countries.

“Beijing has failed in its peripheral diplomacy, as its neighbouring countries are still worried about the implications of China’s rise,” Moon said.

“There has been some assertiveness in the belt and road projects and a lack of value-sharing and harmonisation among neighbouring countries,” he said. “China must now spend some time building trust with those countries … otherwise the strategy will be nothing more than diplomatic rhetoric.”

Senior officials in the ruling Communist Party are already following Xi’s lead. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Ning Jizhe, vice-chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, said China should not shy away from the challenges but should improve how it approaches belt and road projects.

“With some countries still doubtful about the belt and road and Chinese companies facing difficulties investing and operating overseas, we need to objectively and rationally view our achievements and challenges,” Ning said. “We should not avoid the challenges, nor should we exaggerate our problems … we need to constantly improve our working methods.”

Monday’s seminar was chaired by Vice-Premier Han Zheng and attended by NDRC head He Lifeng, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, city and provincial chiefs from Shanghai, Zhejiang, Chongqing and Sichuan, as well as corporate leaders such as Li Shufu, chairman of carmaker Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Vice-Premiers Liu He and Hu Chunhua, Politburo member Yang Jiechi and Finance Minister Xiao Jie were also at the meeting.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2161580/xi-jinping-says-belt-and-road-plan-isnt-about-creating

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