The Implications of the “Belt and Road Initiative” on Globalization and Inclusive Growth for the Eurasian Continent

The “Belt and Road Initiative”(BRI) and other emergent forms of transnational institution building raise new fundamental issues for economists and social scientists. New research approaches and analytical frameworks are taking shape. The Forum aims to explore the evolving scenario in a collaboration between researchers, policy makers, business people and representatives of civil society.

With the initiative evolving from rhetoric to implementation, a significant number of questions remain open and are subject to more discussions. What potential challenges, opportunities, and new conflicts may arise in the roll-out of BRI? Can the BRI become a template for a new phase of globalization? What are the geostrategic implications of BRI and how will they impact on regional and global power balances? What are the potential impacts of BRI on the economic, social and political structures in the regions along the “Belt” and “Road”?

While all these “large” questions need to be discussed and require substantial research efforts, academic research must also look into the “smaller” questions arising with the unfurling of the BRI initiative. What are the impacts of BRI on intensity and composition of regional trade flows? In how far do these changing trade flows impact on local labour markets? What is the relationship between goods flows and cross-border investment activities? Can we observe a travelling of knowledge and ideas along the new Silk Road? How do BRI activities become embedded in an institutional framework? Does the BRI contribute to the emergence of a new set of institutions fit to govern a multinational, multicultural framework for joint development and growth?

The BRI raises a plethora of highly interesting but difficult questions. Academics worldwide are challenged to contribute to unravelling the opportunities and risks emerging with the unfolding of the BRI and the possible creation of a new economic sphere spanning the Eurasian continent from its Western to its Eastern tip. The Third International Forum on the New Silk Road and Sino-European Cooperation intends to contribute to this academic debate, by bringing together the most competitive and relevant researchers as well as the major players of the Belt and Road Initiative from both sides. We invite you to submit your proposal to present a paper at the conference.