The Future of Eurasian Integration - The Roles of the Caucasus Countries in the Belt and Road Initiative

The new stage of economic globalization in the 21st century encourages nation-states to find a balance between maintaining political sovereignty, control over resources, financial and information flows, and the need to participate in supranational institutions such as military-political blocs, economic unions, and international development mechanisms. Globalization has not weakened the intensity of regional integration processes; on the contrary, it has noticeably intensified them. The formation of new international macro-regions with close political and economic ties has begun. In most cases, their development is stimulated by the activities of larger integration associations.

One of the largest modern integration projects is China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative, first proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visits to Kazakhstan and Indonesia in autumn 2013. The project aims to identify, design, and promote a new model of international cooperation and development by strengthening existing regional bilateral and multilateral mechanisms and structures with China's participation.

The project has been in existence for 11 years and its scale has attracted considerable interest from political and business elites, the academic community, and the media around the world. Its implementation is creating new institutions, changing the institutional design of the countries along the "road", generating global and local opposition, problems, and risks.

The mega-project "One Belt, One Road" acts as a link in the Eurasian space and a symbol of a new type of "soft" influence based on mutually beneficial cooperation. In contrast to approaches that focus on superpower dominance or rivalry, China offers the Belt and Road as an alternative, promoting the concepts of a "community of shared destiny for mankind" and a "new periphery policy" based on friendship, sincerity, and mutual benefit. In this sense, the Belt and Road Initiative is a priority in China's foreign policy, aimed at strengthening the position of the Chinese economy and aligning its interests with those of neighboring countries. The project aims to create a mutually beneficial system with states along the "Silk Road of the 21st Century" and influence their geopolitical and economic development.



It is evident that the mega-project, "One Belt, One Road," also had an impact on the Caucasus region. For the Republic of Azerbaijan and Georgia, the strategic concept of "One Belt, One Road" will become a cornerstone and the most important concept in the next 30 years, as it has the potential to guarantee peace and stability, prosperity and well-being for the peoples of the Caucasus. The extensive geographical reach of this project offers the countries of the Caucasus a valuable opportunity to enhance their involvement in the Eurasian economic integration processes. It is important to note that the general public in Azerbaijan and Georgia is still largely unaware of the true nature of the "One Belt, One Road" concept and the specifics of this ambitious project. Periodically, this information vacuum is exploited to disseminate misinformation and form false stereotypes regarding the Concept of "One Belt, One Road". A review of the literature reveals a dearth of studies on the subject of the Chinese mega-project, "One Belt and One Road," in the context of Eurasian integration, particularly in the Caucasus region. The Caucasus think tanks still lack access to scientific literature in an accessible language on the subject of the "One Belt, One Road" initiative, which has the potential to inform their work. The One Belt, One Road initiative, which was initiated by China 11 years ago, remains insufficiently studied in the academic circles of the Caucasus. This is a cause for concern, given the significant impact that the initiative has had on Eurasian integration, as well as on political and economic processes in the region. It is therefore imperative that educational institutions in the Caucasus intensify their joint scientific research with Chinese think tanks and universities.

The dearth of active scientific and academic collaboration between the People's Republic of China (PRC) Georgia and the Republic of Azerbaijan presents a significant challenge to a comprehensive and nuanced assessment of the mega-project "One Belt, One Road," which is rapidly evolving in the Eurasian region. The absence of a regular exchange of scientific knowledge, experience, and research results between scientists and specialists of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the two aforementioned countries makes it challenging to comprehend the economic and geopolitical advantages of the project, as well as to devise collaborative strategies for successful involvement in it. Such contacts could facilitate more effective cooperation and enhance the positions of both countries within the framework of this significant international undertaking. The works of Chinese scientists are of particular value to academic circles in Azerbaijan and Georgia, given their in-depth understanding of the project and their significant advantage. The studies conducted by Chinese specialists address pivotal matters about the continuity of the mega-project "One Belt, One Road" within the context of preceding political and cultural traditions, and also analyze the ideas and values that underpin it. These studies examine the concepts of "common destiny" and "Chinese dream" and other significant aspects of the project. The world's leading think tanks concur that the "One Belt, One Road" project has not only political but also significant cultural significance, promoting the integration of civilizations. In the Caucasus and post-Soviet countries, the article format is the predominant form of political study of the "One Belt, One Road" project. Several researchers have focused their attention on the impact of the "One Belt, One Road" mega-project on the interests of the Caucasian countries. There is a notable absence of comprehensive studies (monographs and dissertations) on the subject of the "One Belt, One Road" strategy in the Caucasus.



A notable shortfall has been identified by numerous experts in the region, namely a lack of collaboration at the appropriate level. This manifests in the absence of symposia, conferences, and other formats for knowledge exchange, which would not only enhance the caliber of academic research but also establish a platform for a more profound comprehension of the processes occurring within the initiative. It is crucial to ascertain the precise mechanisms and technological processes that underpin the implementation of the One Belt, One Road project, as well as to examine the interaction of the Caucasus countries with China and other participants in this mega-project. The undertaking of joint research has the potential to facilitate a deeper understanding of the impact of the One Belt, One Road initiative on a range of socio-economic and cultural processes, including economic and cultural integration, infrastructure development, and the evolution of interstate relations. Furthermore, this collaboration could facilitate a more efficient exchange of information and innovation, which could then catalyze the development of new initiatives aimed at advancing the region. The intensification of scientific research in this area will also facilitate the formation of a more objective view of the consequences and opportunities that the Belt and Road Initiative offers, not only to Georgia and Azerbaijan but to the entire Caucasus region as a whole. Such an approach can contribute not only to scientific progress but also to the reinforcement of diplomatic and economic ties with China, which represents a crucial step in the integration of the Caucasus into global processes.

The issues that have arisen in the process of Eurasian integration within the framework of China's Belt and Road Initiative provide a basis for further academic discussion. These issues pertain to the particulars of the formulation of public policy in both China and the countries participating in this initiative. A comprehensive examination of these elements will facilitate a more nuanced comprehension of the intricacies of global political and economic policy.



One of the principal areas for investigation is the analysis of the advantages and promising areas of China's interaction with the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia. Such interaction may serve as a foundation for the establishment of new economic and cultural ties, which could potentially give rise to significant economic transformations in these regions. However, this is also associated with some risks and challenges that must be taken into account. The potential for political and economic risks to complicate interaction is heightened by several factors, including the possibility of instability in individual countries, the presence of socio-cultural differences, and the existence of potential conflicts of interest. An analysis of these risks is essential for a more profound comprehension of the present circumstances and the formulation of strategies aimed at mitigating adverse outcomes.

Consequently, the integration processes associated with the Belt and Road Initiative necessitate an integrated research approach. This encompasses not only an examination of the economic benefits and political consequences but also an evaluation of the cultural factors that contribute to the success of interaction. The undertaking of scientific research in this field has the potential to significantly enhance the existing corpus of knowledge and provide novel insights that can inform the further development of both the Caucasus countries and China within the global context.

Elbrus Mamedov - Head of "The Great Silk Road - Center of Expert Analysis"

SR-CENTER.INFO