本文作者贾晋京系中国人民大学重阳金融研究院宏观研究部主任，刊于《中国画报》（英文版）第794期。原文如下：

BUCKLE UP FOR DEVELOPMENT

Jia Jinjing

   On September 7,2013,during his visit to four Central Asian countries,Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the proposal to construct the Silk Road Economic Belt.Many analysts agree that after two decades of cooperation and development,countries along this already existiing economic corridor with the vigorous Asian-Pacific economic circle to the east and well-developed European economic circle to the west,are advancing towards common prosperity under the principles of cooperation,friendship,and win-win relations.

    The Silk Road Economic Belt is the first concrete project proposed by China related to intercontinental economic cooperation and integration.During his speech at Nazarbayev University in Astana,Kazakhstan,President Xi offered the following suggestions to enhance trust and ease doubts:Step up policy communication,improve and connectivity,promote unimpeded trade,enhance monetary circulation ,and increase understanding between peoples.

    Historically,the Silk Road connected China,Cenral Asia,Middle East,Europe,and even North Africa,The road,which encompassed many “smaller”routes and covered a vast area,served not only as a conduit for prosperous trade,but also an important passage for promoting knowledge and technological exchange,cultural interaction,and communication between peoples.Along the Silk Road,many splendid cultures emerged,such as major civilization in ancient Mesopotamia,Egypt,Indus Valley,and China,cultures of medieval Gandhara,Khwarezm,and Sassan,and other cultures with far-reaching influences such as the Timurid Dynasty,Arab Empire,and Ottoman Empire.Diverse cultures,religions,ethnic groups,and social forms developed and are preserved along the road,which hinted at the rich possibilities of future human development.In this sence,the Silk Road is the “gene bank” of  human civilization.

   China and many countries along the Silk Road treat each other with an open and inclusive attitude.They use dialogue instead of conflict,and set examles of harmonious co-existence between countries with different social systems,beliefs,cultures,and traditions.Now,China and its neighbors along the Silk Road are at a critical stage of development.Facing unprecedented opportunities and challenges,these countries have formulated unique goals for medium and long-term development in accordance with their national conditions.If these countries strengthen cooperation comprehensively,and turn advantages in political relations,geographic adjacencies,and economic cooperation into a community of interests which aims for deeper cooperation,sustainable growth,and win-win relations,a sounder environment for economic and political development will be created.

    Construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt will bring new possibilities for the economic development of Central Asian countries,and help strengthen economic ties between Central Asia and Europe.Geographically ,Central Asia connects the world’s largest energy base and the world’s largest manufacturing center.However,due to a lack of ports,Central Aisa,which abounds in natural resources,land,and human resources,lags behind amidst globalization.Construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt will make its geographic lacation a unique advantage of Central Asia.These countries can make better use of ports in China and Europe,and will be better incorporated into the global financial and trade system.Since the Silk Road Economic Belt covers a population of nearly three billion,both its market size and potentials are huge,especially cooperative potentials in fields of trade and investment,Once the economic belt is formed,a new pole of global economic growth will take shape around it.

    For middle East countries,the economic belt will further open China’s energy consumption market.Since the U.S.is now striving to create a self-sufficient energy supply,the economic belt means a great deal to the Middle East.To development countries along the economic belt,they can benefit from China’s economic development and learn from its experience,which is of great importance for their own respective developments.

    In terms of transit,the largest existing transpertation artery along the economic belt is the “Second Eurasian Continental Bridge”,also known as the New Eurasian Continental Bridge,which connects Lianyungang City in China’s Jiangsu Province to the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands.The Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe Railway,with a total length of 11,179 kilometers,began formal operation in October 2010.Since then,the volume of goods transported along its rails has witnessed rapid increase,and the railway has been dubbed the Third Eurasian Continental Bridge.

    In Northest Asia,South Asia and Central Asia,national highways connect China to Russia ,Kazakhstan,and Pakistan.Other passages now under construction include the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Highway and the Dushanbe-Channak Highway.

   On June 3,2014,the Xinjiang section of the Lanzhou-Urumqi High-speed Railway,on which trains move as fast as 250 kilometers per hour,began formal testing.The railway is expected to open by the end of this year,setting a foundation for the “high-speed rail era” of the Silk Road.At present,China’s high-speed railway has already reached a trail speed of nearly 600 kilometers per hour,which means people could one day cross Eurasia on ground in a single day.

   The Silk Road Economic Belt leads to mutual benefits and win-win results.It will strenghthen economic cooperation amongst particifiting countries ,promote infrastructure construction and institutional innovation,create new economic growth points and job opportunities,and enhance the endogenous power and risk resistance capacity of countries along the belt.Construction of the belt should bring varies parties’ advantages and potentials into full play,and build a community of common interests and common destiny for all participants. （来源：《中国画报》（英文版）。 欢迎关注人大重阳新浪微博：@人大重阳，微信公众号：rdcy2013）