The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiatives, also known as "One Belt, One Road"(OBOR), were first introduced by Chinese President Xi Jinping in September and October 2013, respectively. As a development strategy that involved Asian, African and European countries, it attracts attention from both home and abroad.

With the 2008 aftermath of the economic crisis still haunting some parts of the world, the OBOR initiative, aimed at maintaining the global free trade system and an open economy, was put forwarded to promote the free flow of production factors of all countries and deepen regional cooperation on a larger scale.

In this ongoing series – China's OBOR in the eyes of Sinologists – we asked Indonesian Sinologist Agustinus Wibowo to comment on the issue during his trip to Beijing this month to attend the third Visiting Program for Young Sinologists.

Wibowo is an Indonesian travel writer and photographer of Chinese descent who grew up in East Java and lived in China. His 10 years' experience as a photojournalist has brought him to the Himalayas, the borderlands of Central Asian republics and the deepest corners of Afghanistan. He has participated in the Young Sinologist Program twice; currently he is studying at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences on the Maritime Silk Road and its influences on cultural dissemination.
Below are all the questions and answers of the interview.

Do you know the "One Belt, One Road" initiative unveiled by president Xi Jinping in 2013? What's your take on that?

Yes. I think this is an initiative to connect China to its neighboring countries and civilizations, and at the same time to relive the ancient trade routes to the current global setting. One Belt One Road is a Chinese initiative to maintain its growth, as well as sharing the benefit of Chinese growth with the neighboring countries and the world in general. The purpose is to have a common sustainable prosperity.

In your opinion, what are the historical and practical significances for China to put forward such a development strategy at such a time?

For the historical significance, China is trying to emphasize its role in the global economy, as it used to be during the years of the Silk Road when China was the main hub and generator for the world’s trade business. Meanwhile, China in recent years has experienced drastic transformation from a poor country to a developing country to one of the world’s economic leaders. The growth of China has been a role model for many other developing Asian countries. China has also played more significant roles in the development in the least developing countries in Asia, Africa, Oceania, and Americas. By taking this initiative at such a time, China is trying to gain a leadership position among developing countries, and at the same time, China is trying to prove that China’s growth can be beneficial to the whole world.

Meanwhile, for practical significance, it's important for China to gain resources and market to sustain its own growth. By helping economic development in areas covered by the One Belt One Road initiative, in fact China is also helping itself and its people to survive under the pressure of transforming its own economy.

The China threat theory has been around for many years, though China has been claiming that it is a "peaceful rise". What signals do the "One Belt, One Road" initiative send to the world?

One Belt One Road signifies that Chinese growth can be beneficial to other countries and to the world, and China is not threatening but instead supporting the development of its neighboring countries. Of course the program touches some sensitive areas, like the maritime border issues with the ASEAN countries in the South China Sea and some border and social issues with the Central Asian countries. But these disputes between China and its neighboring countries are discussed and solved in the framework outside the One Belt One Road. At the same time we can see clearly that by promoting One Belt One Road in countries with disputes, China is attempting to emphasize economic cooperation and using the economic cooperation with those countries as part of the solution to its political and border disputes with them.

What tangible opportunities and challenges will the "One Belt, One Road"initiative bring to China, its neighboring countries and the world?

Opportunities for China is to enhance its economic structural transformation, so the economic growth will be sustainable. China also will get access to resources needed for maintaining its growth. At the same time, China also may learn ideas and experiences of other countries for its own development.
For the neighboring countries, they get financial investment to develop their infrastructure, and at the same time get access to export their products and improve their technology, which is beneficial to improve the prosperity of the world.

For the world, it is to promote peace and mutual understanding between nations, as well as a sustainable growth in a globalized world like today.

Challenges facing China is its image of being one of world's great powers. If China fails in this initiative, it will harm the Chinese image in the world. China also may be seen as trying to dominate the world order by creating its own order. As the Chinese proverb says, "The higher the tree is, the stronger the wind is". China may create more unnecessary hostility from certain parties that feel threatened by the rising of China.

For the neighboring countries and the world, the more they are integrated with the Chinese economy, the more the world is relying on the Chinese economy. So when anything happens in the Chinese economy or politics it will impact the whole world. Many countries now worry about the slowing down in the Chinese economy, and as China has become the biggest trading partner for most countries in the world, the slowing Chinese economy has slowed the economy of many countries as well. OBOR will make the countries more reliant on the Chinese economy, and if a crisis happens in China, then the whole world will be severely affected.

What influences will the "One Belt, One Road" initiative has on cultural exchanges between China and other countries? Do you have any suggestions for promoting such cultural exchanges?

The OBOR surely will enhance the people-to-people contact between China and the countries in the region, and this will surely promote cultural exchanges. The impact can be positive and negative. Cultural exchanges can introduce new values and ideas to a country, but at the same time can bring harmful values and ideas as well, and it may also affect the reputation of the countries involved.
My suggestion is that cultural exchanges should be done in a culturally sensitive way. Not all cultures of China are suitable to be exchanged with all countries, and not all cultures of a certain country are suitable to be introduced to China. Cultural exchanges also should be done voluntarily and with equal quantity for both sides, so that no country will feel dominated culturally by the others.

Do you think the "One Belt, One Road" initiative will enhance the appeal of Chinese culture, and why? What part of Chinese culture has universal appeal that is worthy of spreading to the world?

I think OBOR will enhance the appeal of Chinese culture, as the world is curious on how China transforms itself from a traditional to political to global economic powerhouse status. I think the part of the Chinese culture that has universal appeal is its spirit of hardworking, passion to harmony, optimism.

How should we interpret the significance of "One Belt and One Road"?

OBOR is the 21st century solution China offers to the world based on the ancient trade routes known as the Silk Road. The impacts it will have include easing the traffic of goods, people, culture, ideas, and economic benefits. It will create cooperation and mutual understanding between the countries involved.

By Ruan Fan(chinadaily.com.cn) Updated: 2015-07-13