THE NEW SILK ROAD, CONTINUATION OF CHINA RENAISSANCE AND CHINA DREAM OF WORLD

HARMONY, (CONFUCIAN DA TONG)

BY FRANCIS C W FUNG, PH.D.

In support of the most insightful essay Chinas Grand Strategy: The New Silk Road by David Gosset,
Director Academia Sinica Europaea. I wish to comment as follows:
The new silk road as proposed by Xi Jinping, is the modernization of the ancient silk road which served
to bridge East and West. The ancient silk road brought the most important Chinese inventions including
compass, paper and silk making, dynamite and printing to Europe. It can be said the European
Renaissance was based in large part on China inventions. Without the all-important Chinese inventions
the European renaissance would not have propagated so fast across Europe and to the New World. The
modern silk road as conceived by Xi Jinping's grand strategy is to provide connectivity through the land
locked developing nations in central Asia and south East Asia. With China's help of advanced
infrastructure, modern day communication Euro-Asia and South East Asia can be linked to China and
Europe into one commerce zone for mutual development and common prosperity. Imagine a Beijing
Moscow high speed rail that will connect Europe and China that will speed goods through the two
continents in two days instead of the current 20 days by ocean freight. The saving of time and money is
so enormous a factor that the improvement of trade will benefit the whole world. The ancient silk road
traveled by Marco Polo to China was initiated by the prosperous Tang dynasty. The modernization of
the ancient silk road can well be called the the continuation of China Renaissance after China's three
decades of reform and open up. Tang dynasty was the most prosperous and open Empire at the time.

Along with the new silk road proposal to the world, Xi Jinping also proposed the China Dream to the
Chinese citizens to rejuvenate China. The ancient dream of Confucius was Da Tong, which by today's
interpretation is World Harmony. So the China dream at the end is also world's dream. The whole
world is invited to participate in the new silk road. The ancient over land silk road and ocean silk road
carried Chinese silk, porcelain and tea all over the world that made China the biggest trading nation in
the world. Currently China is again the biggest trading country in the world. The new silk road will open
up new trade routes all over the world. World trade will be expanded many times by overland Eurasia
fast trains and China and South East Asian trade can by pass Strait of Malacca by high speed train
directly from China thorough South east Asia and come out by way of Indian Ocean saving many days of
ocean travel through pirate invested Strait of Malacca. Japan will thus be a direct beneficiary of the new
ocean silk road. The over land silk road has direct significance to Russia, Eastern Europe, Italy and
Germany also. Germany's Mercedes, BMW and Audio cannot wait to sell China made German cars to be
sold in Eastern Europe. Thus all nations of the world are stake holders to participate in the
modernization of the "One belt and one road" project envisioned by China. It does not make sense for
Europe not to participate in the Silk road fund. So far there are more than 50 nations that have signed
up to the new silk road world common project.

Trough out history, Commerce has been the best way to facilitate cultural exchanges and increase
world understanding. Improvement of transportation and communication can make profound influence
in improving commerce. With the world connectivity increased by infrastructures and modern
communication the world will be a more peaceful and harmonious place to live. Today's conflicts and
wars are reflected by misunderstanding and distrust. Commerce will increase world understanding and
thus removing misunderstanding and distrust. The U.S. hostility towards China is largely a result of
misunderstanding. Thus the new silk road and China dream are interconnected one will lead to the
other. Thus China Renaissance and China dream are two sides of the same coin and will benefit the
whole world. China's ancient dream of Da Tong will lead to world Harmony through a more
interconnected Eurasia and South East Asia where most of the developing countries still remain. The
Eurasia continent consists of 65 % of the world economy. When the whole world is approaching
development parity that will be the day of arrival of greater world understanding and harmony. The
new silk road will have a profound effect in bring mankind together more understanding and
harmonious world.

The world today is fast approaching a multipolar world with increased mutual understanding. America
as the sole military and economy power who does not want to loose its world dominant hegemony and
holding out. Thus America is reluctant to warm up to the new silk road by fear of losing influence. In a
popularity poll 80% of American population like to remain hegemony power whereas by contrast only
15 percent of Chinese population like to be a hegemony power. Thus U.S. has nothing to fear but fear
itself by not warming up to the new silk road. Obama's idea of pivot to Asia is to send more fleets and
military installation to Australia, Japan and Philippine and the idea of forming the Trans Pacific
Partnership is to exclude China. Thus American way of increasing influence is a zero sum game of
winning like playing chess, rather short ranged. A chess strategy is suited to achieve military dominance.
On the other hand the Chinese idea of the new silk road is much more long ranged. The plan is to build
connectivity and improve communication for common mutual development. It is a harmony win- win
game like a Weiqi (Go) game. A weiqi game is long ranged about connectivity and mutual development.
It is not simply about military confrontation and capture and kill. A weiqi game is more about patience,
sacrifice and building of lasting dynamic harmony balance piece by piece. Thus weiqi strategy is more
suited for long term global development such as world prosperity, peace and harmony.
Francis C W Fung, PH.D.
DIRECTOR GENERAL
WORLD HARMONY ORGANIZATION
SAN FRANCISCO, CA