23.11.2016 - 09:03

Research Forum Lecture by Maria Danilovich

"Tightening the Silk Road Belt: Challenges and Opportunities"
November 23, 16–18 h | Venue: SG 183, Geibelstraße 41, Campus Duisburg

In late 2013, an updated model of interaction between China and Eurasian countries was officially proposed by the Chinese leadership. As a part of this new strategic model, the Silk Road Economic Belt was presented to strengthen transcontinental links between the actors on bilateral and multilateral levels. The talk will focus on challenges and opportunities the project creates for prospective participants as well as on its possible implications for economic and political development in Eurasia. The discussion will also address the questions usually overlooked in official discourses: the perception of the Chinese initiative in the involved states, security concerns, and the limits of cooperation.

About the lecturer:
Dr. Maria Danilovich is a specialist on Chinese foreign policy and security issues in Central Asia, affiliated as a senior lecturer and researcher at the Department of International Relations, Belarusian State University (Minsk). During her PhD and ongoing research, she has done extensive field work in different regions of China and the Central Asian states. She is an author of articles, book chapters, and academic courses on Chinese strategies in Central Asia, regional conflicts, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.