歐亞經濟體與倡議的絲路經濟帶具新合作機會

歐亞經濟體與倡議的絲路經濟帶具新合作機會
COOPERATION BETWEEN EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION AND SILK ROAD ECONOMIC BELT INITIATIVE CAN PRESENT NEW OPPORTUNITIES

Asia-Pacific region has traditionally been one of the most important directions of the Russian foreign policy. Russian Federation puts special emphasis on promoting trade, economic and investment cooperation with the region.

We support China’s Silk Road Economic Belt initiative in the context of developing balanced cooperation between this promising concept and the already existing integration project of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), that includes Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. Connectivity with the EAEU can provide a multiplier effect and contribute to the inclusive growth of the Asia Pacific economies.

Finding the ways for the synergy of EAEU and Silk Road Economic Belt initiative was one of the major goals set by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Joint Statement signed on May 8, 2015 in Moscow. In the long run our concerted efforts can create a solid basis for establishing a common economic space connecting Asia and Europe.

It is important to grasp the opportunities available to strengthen stability, prosperity and sustainable development of the Eurasian region. We consider efforts on harmonizing work being made in the framework of the EAEU and in the framework the Silk Road Economic Belt as using the new opportunities emerging in the Eurasian continent and in Asia. In order to move towards this goal we are examining joint steps to facilitate investment cooperation, strengthen transport infrastructure, create favourable environment for small and medium enterprises, promote national currency payments in the mutual trade.

There are a lot of matching interests in promoting development in this region. For example one of the proposed ways of the Silk Road Economic Belt passes through Russian Far East and Siberia. This coincides with Russia’s plans to develop transport and energy infrastructure in Siberia and the Far East. We believe that there is huge potential for the cooperation with China and other Asian countries. Modernization of the Trans-Siberian and Baikal-Amur Railways, development of the Northern Sea Route, construction of new ports and highways would allow to ensure the economic viability of the shortest transit route for goods from Asia-Pacific to Europe.

Bilateral Russian-Chinese projects can also be a part of the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative. Creating transit corridors for the goods from North-Eastern China through Russian Far Eastern ports to the Asia-Pacific region and even to the South of China would save a lot of time and money for Chinese enterprises.

At present, the harmonization process between the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative and the EAEU is gradually advancing. On the multilateral level we have the EAEU-China consultation mechanism established some time ago. The EAEU is currently preparing a joint position paper for these EAEU – China consultations.

Moreover, on bilateral level we are conducting the dialogue at the level of the foreign ministers of Russia and China on compiling the list of the prospective joint projects. These projects are not exclusively Russian-Chinese, they are open to accession by other interested parties. So there are two parallel processes that are aimed to achieve one goal and Russia plays an active role in both of them. The EAEU-China cooperation aims to form principles and a conceptual framework of the mutual integration, and bilateral Russian-Chinese contacts would help to figure out the specific projects.

Remark: Article from Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Hong Kong SAR