Current international trends show that many nations approve of the move towards a multipolar system. The list includes countries in Asia, Africa, Central and South America, and the Middle East. The trend has been solidified with 1) the 2024 addition of 5 more countries to the original BRICS Association and 2) 13 more partner countries and 20 other countries interested in joining. As this new multipolar arrangement begins to shape itself over the coming years, it remains to be seen if it will lead to a better balance of power and relationship among participating nations. It raises the question of whether or not the BRICS and Western countries will eventually be able to develop ways to accept and deal with each other. Trading among nations today is fraught with distrust, violence, and greed. How can this change?
Trading Along the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
At a recent BRICS conference, addressing the theme of international trade was a priority. Why? Historically, when countries trade, they tend to get along. As a result, China is trying to reestablish the Silk Road trade route, now called the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The ancient Silk Road was the first global trade route in history, lasting 1,500 years (120 BC to 1450 AD). Land and sea routes connected Asia, the Middle East, East Africa, and Southern Europe. It allowed the exchange of goods and ideas among diverse cultures and became a peaceful way to connect countries with different religions, customs, and beliefs.
In retrospect, the Silk Road was not only a physical space but also a belief that people from different cultures could come together and build something beautiful and peaceful. Through trade, we can learn about each other and begin to realize that we are more alike than different and that there is strength in diversity. As of August 2023, 154 countries and 32 International organizations have signed up to the BRI. The participating countries include almost 75% of the world’s population and account for more than half of the world’s GDP.
What’s remarkable to me is that the primary motivator behind the BRI is the country considered the enemy of the West. How could China, a so-called oppressive communist country that has been closed and secretive for so long, push for unity and trade with so many countries on so many continents? Is there information our government and the mainstream media are not telling or hiding from us? Is this another example of information manipulation? Shouldn’t we search for the answers to these questions?
International trade was a priority during the 2023 G20 summit India hosted. India, a member of BRICS and the G20, praised the importance of trade in connecting the East with the West while improving its own economy. Most nation representatives at the summit favored India’s proposals.
The Belt and Road Initiative is not new. It began in 2014, with only five countries signing up. With 154 members today, representing 80% of the United Nations, it’s clear that most of the world is interested in a safer and more prosperous approach to the future. With ten years of experience, the BRI wheel is in motion and well underway. Hopefully, the Belt and Road Initiative will thrive over time and foster the same connectivity among participating people and nations that the original Silk Road did centuries ago.
