New Silk Road: China Meets Europe In The Baltic Sea Region, The - A Business Perspective

by Jean-paul Larcon

Overview

The 'Belt and Road' initiative announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013 aims at reviving the ancient trade routes connecting China to Europe and Africa: the '21st Century Maritime Silk Road' and the inland 'Silk Road Economic Belt'. Both maritime and land routes of the New Silk Road meet Europe in the Baltics — a region accounting for some 150 million inhabitants representing 30% of the total EU population. The maritime route enters Europe through the Mediterranean Sea before reaching the largest European seaports of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea up to Saint Petersburg in Russia. The land route starting from West China crosses Central Asia, Russia and Belarus before reaching the shores of the Baltic Sea.This book focuses on the business and economic dimensions of China's initiative: Chinese government objective and policies, the strategies of Chinese and foreign firms along the Silk Road, trade and investment between China and Nordic-Baltic countries, the Eurasia Land Bridge corridors and logistics, the impact of the New Silk Road on the economies of Central Asia, new institutions financing the 'Belt and Road', cross-cultural challenges and Sino-foreign joint ventures along the New Silk Road. The direct impact of China's initiative on economic sectors such as logistics services; the shipping, port management and maritime industry; construction and high-speed train; energy and engineering; and e-commerce, information technology and tourism will be assessed.Readers will be provided with an in-depth analysis of the opportunities and challenges for companies and regions along the New Silk Road as well as 17 short case studies focusing on China-led projects currently developed along the 'Belt and Road' and 15 maps of the New Silk Road, the Baltic Sea Region and Central Asia to help in understanding China's vision and strategic moves.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789813221802
Publisher:	World Scientific Publishing Company, Incorporated
Publication date:	07/17/2017
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.80(d)

Table of Contents

Foreword Pascal Lamy vii

Preface xi

Acknowledgment xiii

Authors and Contributors xv

About the Editor xxi

List of Cases, Figures, Maps, and Tables xxiii

Acronyms xxvii

Introduction xxix

1 China Meets Europe by the Baltic Sea Jean-Paul Larçon Geneviève Barré 1

1 China's B&R Initiative and Chinese companies 1

2 China, Europe and the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) 6

3 Financing the B&R Infrastructure 13

4 Managing across Cultures, Languages and Nationalities 14

2 China's "Belt and Road" and Business Perspectives Li Donghong Tang Lingling 21

1 China's Proposed Aim for the B&R 23

2 Measures the Chinese Government is Taking to Promote the B&R Initiative 25

3 The B&R from the Perspective of Business 30

3 The Baltic Sea Region and China: Economic Environment and Strategy of the Firms Jean Paul Larçon Rold Jens Brunstad 43

1 The Baltic Sea Region: Towards Economic Integration 44

2 Russia, China and the Saint Petersburg region 50

3 Belarus, a Country at the Crossroads 54

4 The Baltic States and China 56

5 The Nordic Countries and China's B&R Initiative 61

6 China and the Northern Sea Route 65

7 Key Players and Strategies 68

4 Nordic-Baltic Countries and China: Trends in Trade and Investment Joné Kalendiené Violeta Pukeliene Mindaugas Dapkus 77

1 Trends in Investment between the Nordic and Baltic Countries and China 78

2 Trends in Trade between China, and the Nordic and Baltic Countries 87

5 Logistics along the "New Silk Road": The East-West Transport Corridor in the Baltics Algirdas Šakalys 105

1 Trade and Transport Potentials in the East-West Trade Corridor 110

2 Action Plan for the Baltic EWTC 112

3 Innovation along the EWTC 124

6 Central Asia, Global Value Chains and China's "Silk Road Economic Belt" Initiative Richard Pomfret 133

1 Going West 134

2 China Looks Further West 135

3 A Eurasian Rail Network? 136

4 GVCs including Central Asia 140

5 Prospects for Agricultural Trade along a "New Silk Road" 142

6 Opportunities for Participation in GVCs 144

7 Financing China's "Belt and Road" Initiative Shi Jianxun 157

1 Building the B&R Requires Strong Financial Support 158

2 Towards an International Financial System to Support the B&R Initiative 161

8 Managing Talents in the Silk Road Cross-cultural Environment Zhao Yixuan Zhao Shuming 183

1 Culture and the "One Bell One Road" Initiative 183

2 Cultural Differences between China and Europe and the Cross-cultural Environment 186

3 The Impact of Cross-cultural Environment on Talent Management 194

4 Effectively Managing Talents via Training and Communication 197

5 Chinese Management and German Culture: The Case of Phoenix Contact 203

Special Contribution: Russian Multinational Enterprises and Chinese "Belt and Road" Initiative Andrei Panibratov 213

Special Contribution: Alliances and Joint Ventures along the "New Silk Road" Pierre Dussauge 221

Conclusion: Striving for Achievement Jean-Paul Larçon 227

Postfacc: The "Belt and Road" Initiative as the Bridge between China and Europe Liu Zuokui 233

Bibliography 237

Index 245